https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/strapless-summer-dress • Posted by Claire J
So i found this gorgeous material in my local fabric store. It was in a bundle with 2 other plain fabrics, and was 60p for the 3!! I saw it and fell in love and decided i wanted a summer dress making out of it. I've estimated the time as i had to do it in dribs and drabs with running aroung after my little'un! On the main picture i hadn't done the bottom hem (as i was too excited to post my project!!) so may look little uneven compare to the back, but that's sorted now so will add another pic soon. :)
So i found this gorgeous material in my local fabric store. It was in a bundle with 2 other plain fabrics, and was 60p for the 3!! I saw it and fell in love and decided i wanted a summer dress making out of it. I've estimated the time as i had to do it in dribs and drabs with running aroung after my little'un! On the main picture i hadn't done the bottom hem (as i was too excited to post my project!!) so may look little uneven compare to the back, but that's sorted now so will add another pic soon. :)
1st of all take your measurements. My chest is 36" and i then measured from the top of boobs to below to see how long the top piece needed to be. On to your chest measurement add 14" on.
I decided at this point to have a front and back piece for the top instead of 1 big piece as it'd be easier to sew the elastic on two separate pieces. So i halved my original measurements(as shown in the diagram)so each peice of mine is now 18" PLUS 7" (half of the 14" you need to add on) Now you will need to cut 2 of each piece out. (at this point if you're going to hem the top of your dress do it. i decided i liked the look of a few strands fraying so left it!)
On your 2x piece "A", (on the reverse side) draw lines accross where you want the elastic to go. (I ended up sewing more than the amount of line's i'd originally drawn. So i've added the lines in after on paint on my computer.)
Measure around the front of your bust with your elastic (make sure it's not stretched and comfortable) and cut the elastic. Fold in half and mark the centre. Use this piece as a guide to cut the rest of the elastic you will need.
Fold piece "A" in half to find the middle , and mark accross each of your guide lines you drew for the elastic.
Place the elastic on your guide line and sew the top to hold in to place. Then stretch the elastic so that the centre mark on your elastic meets the centre mark on your fabric. Hold in place and sew.
When you get to the middle, stretch the elastic until the end meets the end of the fabric. Hold in place and sew. Do this for as many pieces of elastic as you decided, and on both "A" pieces of fabric.
Now it should have gone from this <--------------- to this <---------------------
Now you need to sew piece "A" and "B" together. You will need to stretch piece "A" and pin it before sewing. Use a straight stitch for this. (forgot to take pics here as i was excited to be nearly finished!!)
Now all that's left to do is to sew the seams down each side. Pin the right sides of the dress together and check the fit, then sew using a straight stitch down each side. Try it on!! Admire your work and show everyone in the house who'll look at what you've made!
Now all thats left is to hem the bottom edge, then wait for the sun to arrive! :)