Every year I make Zoe and Easter Dress and I always choose a pattern that I know will push my skills to the limit. Last year I made the Cindy Lou by FooFoo Threads
This year I decided to push the boat out a bit further and try a pattern from a designer who has closed down but who also had a reputation of her pattern's being tricky to make and get to fit right (I mean why would I make this easy for myself? )
The dress I chose was The Esmee Cottage Dress from Amelie and Henri
The dress I chose was The Esmee Cottage Dress from Amelie and Henri
Because I knew that there were fit issues this this dress I decided that I would make a muslin.
A muslin for those of you that don't know is a quick mock up of a dress made with cheap fabric that you won't be too upset if it is spoilt. They are usually put together with Basting (or long) stitches.
I made a muslin of the bodice in a size 2 and size 3 (Zoe usually wears a 4!)
A muslin for those of you that don't know is a quick mock up of a dress made with cheap fabric that you won't be too upset if it is spoilt. They are usually put together with Basting (or long) stitches.
I made a muslin of the bodice in a size 2 and size 3 (Zoe usually wears a 4!)
This is the Size 3 as you can see it fitted Zoe beautifully at the front but was far too big at the back. So I tried again I made the size 2 this time. As you can see it fitted beautifully at the back but pulled all funny at the front. My solution? I used the size 3 front and the size 2 back and blended the arm scythes to match. |
After I had figured out what size to make I then had to actually start making the dress. My 1st job was doing the pleats on the bodice. Now I am not sure of the "correct" way to do them so I used a fork. (yep you read that right I used a fork!) The fork I chose was 1 inch wide which is how wide the pattern told me to make the pleats. lots of folding pressing and pinning later and I had my pleats so I attached them to my bodice and ..............
Yeah so that's not right. I walked away, had a strop, ate some chocolate, asked a few friends then started again this time I made the pleats 3/4 of an inch (or 3 tines of my fork) and I overlapped them by 1/4 of an inch (or 1 tine of my fork)..... lots of folding, pressing and pinning later and .........
From this point on I pretty much did my own thing and walked away from how the pattern wanted me to do things. The bodice went together pretty quickly and I managed to get that all finished in a few hours.
The next day I tackled the skirt . I pulled the pattern up looked at how it wanted me to do it and put it away again. 1st of all I sewed the skirt and petticoat panels together and rather than serge as the pattern advised I decided to do each of them with French seams as I wanted the inside to look nice too.
I then serged the lace to the bottom of the petticoat, an hemmed the outer skirt with a 1/2 inch hem.
I gathered the petticoat to the width of the bodice and then got my trusty fork out again and did 1 inch pleats on my outer skirt, making sure it finished the same size as the petticoat. To make sure that the pleats and gathers stayed the same size I used a basting stitch and basted the two skirt layers together.
At this point I checked the pattern again to see how I was supposed to add a placket. The pattern asked me to attach the binding to both skirt layers at the same time (next time I will also do this my own way and add a separate placket to each layer as it wasn't as tidy as I wanted)
Unfortunately at this point I realised I had made a mistake when I put the bodice togeather so I couldn't enclose the waist seam (bugger!) so there went my tidy inside :( (but hay no one see's that bit right? )
Then I had a dilemma. Did I leave the dress as I had it or did I add a sash?
I posted to my selling page asking the question "with or without" and shared it to The Handcrafters Lounge Group on Facebook (and look at the reach that post got!!)
The next day I tackled the skirt . I pulled the pattern up looked at how it wanted me to do it and put it away again. 1st of all I sewed the skirt and petticoat panels together and rather than serge as the pattern advised I decided to do each of them with French seams as I wanted the inside to look nice too.
I then serged the lace to the bottom of the petticoat, an hemmed the outer skirt with a 1/2 inch hem.
I gathered the petticoat to the width of the bodice and then got my trusty fork out again and did 1 inch pleats on my outer skirt, making sure it finished the same size as the petticoat. To make sure that the pleats and gathers stayed the same size I used a basting stitch and basted the two skirt layers together.
At this point I checked the pattern again to see how I was supposed to add a placket. The pattern asked me to attach the binding to both skirt layers at the same time (next time I will also do this my own way and add a separate placket to each layer as it wasn't as tidy as I wanted)
Unfortunately at this point I realised I had made a mistake when I put the bodice togeather so I couldn't enclose the waist seam (bugger!) so there went my tidy inside :( (but hay no one see's that bit right? )
Then I had a dilemma. Did I leave the dress as I had it or did I add a sash?
I posted to my selling page asking the question "with or without" and shared it to The Handcrafters Lounge Group on Facebook (and look at the reach that post got!!)
Following the feedback I got from that post I decided to go ahead and add a sash but I wanted to be able to remove it for when a sash just isn't practical.
I had a think and a google and the outcome was this
I had a think and a google and the outcome was this
I made little thread loops and attached buttons to the inside of the sash. Problem solved!
I then made the choice to use little sew in press snaps rather than buttons as I didn't want to detract from the back of the dress.
Et Voila! 3 days work and Zoe's Easter dress was finished.
I then made the choice to use little sew in press snaps rather than buttons as I didn't want to detract from the back of the dress.
Et Voila! 3 days work and Zoe's Easter dress was finished.