So Sew Easy Easy Party Dress Tutorial If ever wanted to sew a dress in the morning and wear it that very night or, if like me, you need a last minute project to get your daughter something to wear, or if you just want to get your wardrobe into warm weather mood or need a gift for your grand daughter’s birthday, this project is for you. This tutorial will show you how to make a very easy party dress and the best part is you won’t have to spend more than $40 dollars making it. Gather your supplies from the list below and meet me at the table. This project is for adventurous beginners and intermediate sewers. Knowledge of box pleat, shirring, zipper and bias tape skills needed.
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To print your PDF pattern Your pattern pieces come at the end of these instructions. For accurate printing, please make sure you are using the latest version of Adobe Reader. You can download the latest version here if you need to. Select File → Print and the print dialogue box opens. Under Page Sizing and Handling, select ACTUAL SIZE . Check the preview in the right hand side illustration. Select the page numbers you want to print. You can print the whole document, or just the pattern pieces. On the edge of the top left page is a box you can use to test your printing. This box should measure 2 inches square. If yours is wildly different you will need to check your printer options to make sure the pages are not being resized. Use the grey guides on the overlap of the sheets to match up the pattern pieces, folding under or cutting off any overlaps, tape together and cut out your pattern pieces. Also note that you will need to cut two straps at 4 inches by 22 inches, for which no pattern piece is supplied – it’s just a rectangle! You can draw the straps on the reverse of your fabric to cut.
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Features This a very versatile outfit that can be worn with skirt and top together or separately. The top would look great under a shrug or a cardigan and the skirt will look great with a tank top. I have made this outfit for a sunset garden party. It is warm where I live and my daughter required something fun and elegant to wear. However, done in a soft pretty print and worn with a cardigan on top is the perfect outfit for a summer wedding.
Materials
2 yards of any woven fabric with good body, 100% cotton, cotton gingham, cotton eyelet.
1/2 yard of fabric lining (optional). I have used cotton and the print is so dark it does not need lining.
eyelets. I didn’t have one but these eyelet pliers would be great for this project.
1/2″ satin bias tape 2.5 to 3 yards.
fusible interfacing 1/2 yard to 1 yard depending on the size you are making
thread to match your bias tape
1 yard of elastic 1/4″ wide for the skirt
3 1/2″ wide lace (optional) or you can always add to the length of the skirt
1 1/2 yards of ribbon matching your bias tape and lace
2″ wide elastic (black or white) (if you are not using a zipper for the skirt)
here are a couple of good fabric options: brocade or cotton lawn
downloadable pattern
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Pattern layout
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Directions 1. Putting the pieces together After you have downloaded the FREE easy summer party dress pattern, collect all your supplies and lay pieces A and D (see above picture) on the fabric and cut twice on fold. (We are using the same fabric as lining). Then cut four pieces of B and C. Cut the fusible interfacing the same way and apply the interfacing to all the pieces. Pin and sew B and C to create the inner side or lining. Follow the diagram for easy reminder of how to sew the top.
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Please remember that the front piece (A) is cut on fold twice, on and here is how it looks. Repeat the process with the lining. Because we are using the same fabric as lining, basically you are making the same top twice. Trim the seam allowance, stay stitch the inside if your fabric lacks body. Mine does not since it’s a stiff cotton and it has a double layer and fusible interfacing. The inside and the outside of the top will look exactly the same way.
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2. Shirring without using elastic thread I will be using a way of shirring without elastic thread. Please follow our tutorial linked above for more information. I prefer this technique when the garment requires more stability and body as in the case of this crop top and because we are using fusible interfacing in both pieces of the fabric. We will be using elastic to make it easy to sew and gather.
3.
Adding the back
Once you have gathered the back piece (D), sew the back and sides together, trim the side seam with your serger or simply zigzag the edges and stay stitch it down. Here is the inside view.
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And the outer view.
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4.
Attaching the eyelets and bias tape
Using the pattern, mark the placement of the eyelets and with an embroidery scissors or your seam ripper make a tiny hole to place the eyelet. Open a hole and insert the front part of the eyelet. I have used 10 eyelets on each side. Here is the sequence on how to use the little tool that comes in the packet of the eyelets.
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Take your bias tape and pin it, starting on the inside of the top, leaving at least 1/2″ of tape , continue pinning all around the on the right side of the fabric around the bottom of the crop top, making sure to sew the tape on the first fold. Sew all around, taking care you are making a very straight stitch. Turn the bias tape and pin again, stitch on the space between the fabric and the bias tape. This way you will make sure you caught the tape on the inside.
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To finish the top, take the remaining bias tape and fold it in half and sew very close to the edge, creating an elegant cord to lace through the eyelets.
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5.
Making the skirt
Decide how long you want the skirt. In my case, and because I am making it for my teen daughter and I do not have much fabric, I made it 19 1/4″ long and 55″ wide. Decide how many pleats you want. Divide the cloth in 5 or 7; this depends on how wide your fabric is and taking into consideration that each box pleat takes 4″ of fabric to make. The one in the center will represent your front of the skirt. The sides will be where you will sew the zipper. On each segment you will make a box pleat. To make each box pleat add 4″ to the amount of fabric required.
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Sew a zipper to the skirt in any way you prefer. For an invisible zipper, please review the video. Cut a piece of fabric the size of waist plus 2 inches by 3 1/ 4″. Fold it in half and iron it. Fold the sides 1/4″, iron and another 1/4. Sew a stitch line to 5/8″ on both sides and iron. You will have a strip of fabric as a waist band that is 1″ wide. This step, although tedious, will save you a lot of time and help you be accurate when sewing the waist band. You will sew this waist band the same way you sew bias tape. On the outside or right side of the fabric, pin the waistband starting on top of the zipper and sew. Turn the waistband in and sew on the outside; the fold you made previously with the iron will help guide you to catch the waistband on the inside just as you would when sewing a bias tape. Pass a ribbon through the waist band and tie. Yes, you read right - no buttons, no hooks! Easy!
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6.
Finishing your Easy Party Dress
Hem the skirt by folding the edge 1/4″, iron, fold again and iron one more time. Pin the lace and sew both hem and lace at the same time. You can use a twin needle if you want. The flexibility with this skirt is that you can make it above the knee, below the knee of mid calf, but I wouldn’t go any longer than that. The techniques you have learned on how to attach the waistband and the making of the top without any support were used before the invention of the corset by Catherine de Medici in the 1500s. To many it may seem a lazy way of doing things, but wouldn’t you do it if you only had 4 hours to come up with something? Have a go, make your own and don’t forget to post your pictures for all of us to enjoy your creation! I can’t wait to see what you come up with!!!
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Thank you for downloading this pattern and tutorial. I hope you enjoyed making this project and remember that I love to see what you made so do upload your completed projects to the pattern page on Craftsy.
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This pattern graphic, the photos and the instructions are copy right Mayra Cecilia Morales at So Sew Easy. Please do not copy, publish, sell, redistribute or alter them in any way. Please don’t print and give to your friends, or send it to anyone by email. Please do not rebrand this work as your own and sell or give it away, even if altered. This is intended for your personal use. If you would like to recommend these instructions, please pass on the original download link at So Sew Easy. Thank you for your understanding. Usage – you ARE allowed to use this pattern to make things to sell on a small handmade basis, such as for craft fairs and for your Etsy shop. However it may not be used for larger scale commercial purposes without a commercial licence.
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2”x 2” Square Test
1 Finished measurements around Bust Size 8
34”
Size 10
35”
Size 12
36”
Size 14
37 1/4”
Size 16
38 1/2”
Size 18
40”
Size 20
41”
Size 22
42
Size 24
43 3/4”
Hem
2 Cut 2 on fold on fabric Cut 2 on fold on fusible interfacing
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3 Cut 4 on fabric Cut 4 on fusible interfacing
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Cut 2 on fold on faqbric Cut 2 on fusible interfacing
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Hem
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Hem
6
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Cut 4 on fabric cut 4 on fusible interfacing