A summer dress pattern…

It’s a nice day today, a little cloudy though but enough sun to make some pics of my miniature model. As always she likes to model her new dresses to any public and I’m smiling as I see her twisting and turning her hips before my camera. It’s a simple dress in a cute pattern with a contrast binding and some pleating at the neckline. At the back I made a V-shaped slit and I closed it with a little bow. It was easy, didn’t took very long and absolutely worth the attempt!

The sizes mentioned below are for a 4 Year old. The total length is 56cm, so I started with a rectangle of 56cm (height) and 24cm (1/2 width) After drafting the pattern I added the pleats. I marked the darts at the neckline and cut into the pattern all the way down to the hem. I added 1.5cm width for each pleat (only on top, 0cm at hem) , this will increase the neck width but after sewing the pleats it will have the original width again. As a finishing touch I made a belt of the contrast binding I used for the back. I hope you have fun when you’re making this!

xxx Made By Me!

Refashion fashion

70’s revival that seamed hot when I was in my twenties made me buy this vintage dress years ago at a thrift store. It seemed to reappear every now and again but I never wore it so this means something’s wrong. I can’t help it, and my husband keeps telling me I should, but throwing away clothes is against my nature and everything I stand for. This dress is made by someone once, I can tell by the way it was stitched it was not from a retailer and maybe that someone shared the same passion for fabrics and sewing as I do. It makes me nostalgic but after all these years this piece of clothing will be ‘remade by me’.

This is what’s left of my seventies dress after cutting and sewing… see the result below!

I used the basic pencil skirt pattern I made before and just added a waistband, side pockets, a new lining and some pleats at the middle back.

The paisley woven fabric is amazing, isn’t it? I love these kind of fabrics! I did go all the way with this recycling dress, I even reused the old metal zipper for my new pencil skirt and I still had enough leftovers to create a diamante flower belt. I have this crazy obsession with belts, I wear a different one every day, one more to add to my collection…

Follow my instagram pics and see what I’m up to!

The little little black dress

Here it is, (finally, after caught up with work) : ‘the LLBD’. It started with some leftover black buttons, some yards of black popeline and the urge to combine this somehow. I know, using black for a little girl is somewhat unusual but this dress looks so adorable on her. It’s amazing how this easy pattern resulted in such a well fitted dress, and in my mind it’s the LBD ‘Audrey’ would have liked as well.

The few measurements I took were her tummy, neckline and the length. I started from a rectangle based on the dress length and the skirt width. Half way the rectangle I marked the waist and from that point I drew the bodice shaping a smaller rectangle. Then adding darts, a neckline and armholes. Easy, no?

For the back I copied the front pattern, adding 1cm of seam allowance at the centre back. I made a facing for the neckline and armholes.

When cutting the pattern I cut into the front part until the dart.

The waist is gathered to fit the bodice and sewn together. Afterwards I sew the darts.

This looks nice already, doesn’t it?

I sew the shoulders and facing. It would have been easier to use a binding to finish the dress but this way I create a more sophisticated look.

I sew the side seams and hem. I prefer a hem with enough seam allowance, 5cm for this dress.

I added loops at the shoulders to narrow the shoulder width. To make this dress more glamorous I sewed on large black buttons around the neck opening. These buttons never seemed to have found there way back to the original clothes but hey, this is much more fun!

Love You Audrey, xxx

Upcycled leather skirt

I love to stroll around on markets, always in search of vintage belts, purses and gloves. Last week I found this lovely leather skirt in superb condition. The seller, a very proud lady, said she used to wear this and maintained it with leather grease as she saw me looking at it and touching the leather. I just couldn’t resist to buy it and because she was so persistent about the good quality I couldn’t haggle either. She’s probably very good at selling her things… Anyway, a leather mini was still missing in my wardrobe!

Vlooienmarkten afstruinen is echt mijn ding, altijd op zoek naar ceintuurtjes, handtassen en handschoenen. Vorige week vond ik dit fantastische koopje, een leder rok in super conditie. De verkoopster, een fier madammeke, vertelde me dat ze deze rok vroeger droeg en onderhield met ledervet toen ze me zag kijken en het leder betasten. Ik moest die rok kopen en omdat ze zo overtuigend was over de goede kwaliteit durfde ik niet meer afdingen. Ze is waarschijnlijk zeer winstgevend in de verkoop van haar spullen. In ieder geval, een mini leder rok ontbrak nog aan mijn garderobe…

Determine the desired length and add 3cm seam allowance. Use chalk to mark where to cut.

Fix the hem with Pattex. Maybe leather glue would have been better but this worked really well. Don’t overdo it though. Fold over the seam allowance and press well to get a nice clean seam.

I could have stopped here and that would have been great too but I decided to add something extra.

Why not use the hem leftovers?

I want to use the back finish of the slit in the front. I cut the hem in 2 equal pieces. They are pleated and sewn on just below the waistband. Not that easy to stitch but with some patience and good needles…

MADE BY ME

sew it yourself

Tag Archives: made

A summer dress pattern…

Refashion fashion

The little little black dress

Upcycled leather skirt

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