Princess dress tutorial & FREE pattern - part 2 - the skirt

here the instructions for the skirt:

You need:

1. minimum 2metres x 65cm (or however long you'd lie the skirt to be) of net-curtain fabric
2. additional fabric to match the top - enough to cut the measurements from below pattern. (1mx1m will do)
3. elastic for waistband on net-curtain skirt
4. tinsel/ shiny trim

Ok, now all you need to do for the net-curtain underskirt is to sew the open ends together, then sew a tube at the top and gather by pulling the elastic through. Sew the loose elastic ends together and the underskirt is done.

Next is the "cape" that goes around the waist over the under-skirt. Cut your pieces as per below drawing:

 

Over-lock all around both pieces. Gather the cape part at the top so it fits precisely around your girl's waist. Pin to the rectangular piece of fabric and stitch on.

Stitch the tinsel or trim onto the cape.

Fold over the waistband, top stitch over the seam, add buttons and button wholes in order to close and you are done.

... one more accessory that mustn't be missed: 

 Hope whoever you make it for will love it!

Princess dress tutorial & FREE pattern - part 1 - the bodice

I finally got around to making a princess dress for Alice from some old fabric, curtains and tinsel from Ikea. It's certainly gone down well with Alice and has been much easier to make than expected.

You will need:

1. Fabric of your choice - I'd say about 1.5 metres
2. Lining for the bodice
3. Ribbon
4. Shiny trim or tinsel (I used both, first finishing off some old trim and then adding gold tinsel from Ikea to the skirt)
5. Eyelets
6. The pattern, download here - fits 3 to 4 year old girl, but as it's tied with ribbon at the back, the width is fairly flexible and I hope it will fit for a loooong time! :-)

I gathered all my old fabric and trims that seemed suitable for a princess dress.

Lay the front bodice pattern on the fold and cut out one piece from the lining and one piece from the outer fabric. Ensure you ADD SEAM-ALLOWANCE  everywhere!
Also cut out 2 back-pieces from lining and from outer fabric.

Sew the lining together along the sides and the shoulders, leaving the back open. Do the same with the outer fabric.

Pin lining and outer fabric right sides together and sew all along the edge, leaving about 5cm open so you can turn your work inside out afterwards.

This is what it should look like now, trying it on Alice. I originally thought of making a reversible bodice, but gave up on the idea as with an 11 months old baby around, all I do is a bit rushed! ;-)

Handstitch the opening close and now sew a shiny trim along the bottom of the bodice:

 

The sleeves - gather the sleeves between the markings as follows:

Then ease them into the armholes matching the markings on the pattern:

Pin the cuff (that's the 23x7 cm piece that also needed to be cut out - see pdf pattern) right side onto the end of the sleeve stitch it on, then turn over and do the left side of the sleeve.

Pin on trim and stitch on.

Finally add eyelets to the back

... VOILA! ... a very pleased little Alice! :-)

Good luck and let me know if anything seems unclear or wrong! The skirt will follow in part 2.

OTTOBRE DESIGN 3/2013 - Summer Sea Jerseyhose aus Nickistoff

OTTOBRE DESIGN 3/2013 - Summer Sea Jerseyhose aus Nickistoff - Ich hatte den Stoff damals bei Buttinette bestellt, aber inzwischen führen sie scheinbar weder den Streifen, noch den Sternchenstoff.

 

OTTOBRE DESIGN 3/2013 - hoodie - "Funny Race" Sommerkapuzenjacke

OTTOBRE DESIGN 3/2013 - hoodie - "Funny Race" Sommerkapuzenjacke