If you made it through the
cutting out a basic princess dress tutorial this sewing tutorial will be a piece of cake. Using the pieces you just cut we will sew our way to the perfect twirl skirt dress.
We start with the straps. If your strap was cut on a fold line like the one above, you just fold it it half and sew 5/8 inch from the raw edge of the strap. Make sure you are sewing up the long side of the strap. Leave the two short ends open for turning the piece later.
If you cut out 4 rectangular pieces for the straps we will be sewing together both the long sides. Lay two strap pieces together with right sides facing each other. You can pin them together if you need to. Sew a strait stitch along both long sides of each strap.
This is the strap sewn together. The straps shown in the above photo are about as wide as I would make the straps. If they get any wider there is gaping, a 1/2" to 1 1/2 " finished width is a good idea. Wide enough to turn our easily, but thin enough to avoid gaping.
I usually leave the ends of the straps open and sew them directly into the bodice. I nice option to the design of this dress is to use a button closure on the strap. If you decide to add a button you will need to sew one side of the strap closed. To finish the end sew closed. Cut the corners. In the photo only one corner is cut, you need to cut them both. This will eliminate that nasty bulk in the corners when we turn it over.
I like to do some ironing before I turn the straps. Press the seam open like the strap on the left. When we turn the strap inside out we will fold the piece using the seam as a guide. When the seam has been ironed open it is much easier to make a nice
crisp folded edge.
These straps were wide enough to turn with my fingers. I just push the fabric into it self.
If you are lucky enough to have one of these babies you can use it here. It is a turning hook. Just a long thin piece of metal with a hook on the end.
The hook will grab onto the fabric so you can pull the tool, and the fabric will follow. As you start to pull the hook the little arm pushes up and closes around the hook. The fabric shouldn't be able to slip out of that contraption. I am not sure if I am using it wrong, but for me the fabric still slips out now and again. I do my best to keep the tension even on the hook tool. By applying an even tension I avoid ripping a hole from too much tension, and slipping the fabric off the hook from too little tension. A very nice tool to have if you find yourself turning smaller items. I can make very thin straps using this tool, it is a lifesaver.
Using the tool, you push it all the way in. Hook it to a bit of fabric. Try and grab a little of the fabric right around the seam line. Careful not to pull to hard you can make a hole with this tool.
When the straps are turned they need to be ironed. Take special care to fully turn out the strap. You should be able to see your stitches on the edge of the fabric. If you can see the stitches you have pulled the straps out fully. A good trick in this step is to use a butter knife to help you push out the corners and side seams. To use the knife you insert it into the strap. Push the knife into the corners and side seams to be sure the fabric is all exposed.
Time to sew the straps into the bodice. This step is going to take us back to the
measurements tutorial. Remember what your waist measurement was? Hope your wrote it down because we need it again. For my demonstration my waist measurement is 20 inches.
To find placement for the straps divide your waist measurement in half. Now I am working with 10 inches. That new number is the front of the bodice.
Measure 10 inches (or whatever you number was) from one end of your bodice fabric. Now fold the fabric in half, but only the 10 inches you just measured. Place a pin at the fold line. Now you should have folded the fabric, and you should have 5 inches folded over itself.
Measure 1.5 inches from the fold you just made. Place a pin. Grab your straps, time to pin them to the bodice.
Pin the straps to the bodice. The straps should be turned so that the right side of the bodice fabric is touching the right side of the strap. Line up the top of the bodice fabric with the short edge of the strap fabric, pin with at least two pins. It is important to keep your straps lined up, this is how we insure that the straps lay nicely when finished.
One side of each strap is pined in, time to pin the other side of the straps. There should still be a pin in the front center where you previously folded the fabric. Fold the fabric over again. In the same way you folded it to pin in the strap fronts. Now fold the fabric on the back side of the bodice. The two raw edges should meet up. See the photo above, The bodice is folded so the right side of the photo divides the front of the bodice, and the left side defines the back side of the bodice.
Place a pin at the new fold line(or center back). Line up the pins, the idea is to unite the center front with the center back. The two placement pins are on top of each other.
Place the straps on the back side of the bodice. Pin the straps to the back of the bodice, right sides facing each other. The strap placement for the back of the bodice should be just wide of the straps on the front of the bodice. In the photo you can see the two yellow pins sticking out the top to the right of the strap. Those pins represent the location of the straps on the front of the bodice. You can see that I have placed the strap on the back of the bodice to the outside of the strap on the front.
Pin the right side of bodice fabric to the right side of the bodice lining. Sandwich in those straps. Sew along the edge 5/8 inch from the raw edge.
This photo is what not to do on the left, and what to do on the right. I had to rip out the seam because I didn't pin in the strap on the left. It got crooked sometime between pinning and sewing. The strap on the right lines up nicely with the upper edge no need to fix that one.
Opening up the bodice to iron the top of the bodice flat.
This is just the bodice after sewing in the straps and connection bodice lining to bodice front.
Now before sewing the side seam we need to iron the top of the bodice. Just like pressing open the straps we are looking to push out all the fabric until the stitching is showing between layers of fabric. Press
Bodice is nicely pressed. Sewing the side seam is a quick straight stitch on the machine. After you iron, open the bodice back up, pin the side seams together and sew 5/8" from the edge. Press seam open, and turn the bodice so the right side of the fabric is showing again. Press the seam you just made again from the right side.
Time to mark the back of your bodice to elastic guides. Grab your elastic. I use 3/4" width braided elastic. If you have any left over elastic you can go ahead and use it. Because it is in a casing it won't show unless you are using a very light fabric. I grab my elastic and a ruler to make pencil marks that I later use as stitching lines.
Time to sew the elastic guides. It is fast and easy to sew the lines you just made using a machine, just line up the marks with the needle. Sadly my sewing machine is still having tension issues so I have been doing this part by hand. I am a quick hand sewer and I actually find it soothing. I like the hand sewing and think I will keep the hand sewn hem line even when I can get a new machine.
Next step is to sew gather stitches around the skirts waist line. When your gather stitches are made, you will also need to place marks or pins to indicate 4 even sections of the waistline.
Line up the 4 marks, or pins with the side seams and center front, and back of the bodice. The right side of the skirt should be touching the right side of the bodice fabric.
Sew the skirt fabric, and the bodice fabric together on the machine. Keep the bodice lining free of the machine at this point. We still need access to the inside of the bodice to put in the elastic.
Bodice and skirt have been sewn together, you can see the lining is still hanging free.
Use a straight stitch with a long length. Sew 1/4" from the edge of the fabric.
It is difficult to see but there is a line of stitching along the hem line. We use that as a guide for ironing so there is no need to measure with a ruller ever inch or so to keep your hem even.
This is the first turn over. I fold the fabric right at the stitching line I just made.
Iron over the fold and there is a nice crisp edge. I use this edge as I am hand sewing as a guide. I fold the fabric over a second time as I sew it together.
This is the front view of the hand stitches hem. There are very small little tacks that can be seen as shadows from the front of the dress. I love the look of a nice hand rolled, hand stitches seam.
The back side of the hem. Can you tell I am proud of my uniform little hand stitches. All that's left to do is put in the elastic, and sew down the linning.
Cut your elastic at 1/2 the width of your waist measurement. Cut one length of elastic for each elastic guide that you have sewn previously.
I like to put safty pins on one end of each length of elastic.
I use the safty pins to push the elastic through the fabric of the bodice.
I push each length of elastic through untill the ends of the elastic reach the begining of the sewn elastic guides.
Before I start gathering the fabric with the elastic I hand sew the ends.
When the ends of the elsastic are securly hand sewn on one side I start to gather the bodice using the elastic. I push the elastic all the way through untill I reach the opposite end of the elastic changels I have previously sewn. I pin the elastic evenly along the line and hand sew the elastic in place. You are welcome to machiene stitch the elastic in place. I do it by hand only because of my sewing machiene problems.
When the elastic is finished all you need to do is turn under the bodice lining and hand sew it in place with the seam allowance from the dress skirt and bodice. Now this dress is ready for a little princess to twirl and play in it.
MY FIRST CRAFT FAIR! What an exciting process and a fun day to have with a friend. I got up at 6am to drive to Mt. Prospect for the post prom fundraiser. The high school students that were helping and whoever was in charge did a great job. Unloading and loading was so easy.
For this first show I had a difficult time coming up with a way to display my goods. I just thought my stuff looked a mess. The dresses on the mannequins looked nice but nothing on the rack or the table was amazing. Excluding the lovely capes and pillowcase dresses done by Dragons2daisies. My items seamed packed in. The tutus take up tons of space. 
This is my rack of dresses. I just bought an inexpensive garment rack at Wal-Mart. I was regretting it. It is week and wobbly. I love Atlanta thread's options for the 4 arm rack, and especially the collapsible salesman's rack. Not only is it nice for the shows, but it is a nice way to store my stock dresses at home. 
Dragons2daisies is an amazing product concept with a wonderful mom crafter behind it. Sarah does most of her on-line sales on facebook. Check out her business sight, send her a message. The capes and dresses are so cute, and truly inexpensive. They are great options as gifts, or as party favors. She does custom emblems so feel free to ask for something special to your little supper hero. 
The swag skirted dress did it's job as an impressive image for passers by. Many passers by commented on it. No one bought anything at the show. It doesn't feel great to publicly admit that but it is the truth. I did not have to pay for this show. Sarah from Dragons2daisies sponsored my first attempt at a craft show. A gesture I will not easily forget. Not because of the investment(LOL) but the moral support, and the help along the way. 
This is my rack of dresses. I just bought an inexpensive garment rack at Wal-Mart. I was regretting it. It is week and wobbly. I love Atlanta thread's options for the 4 arm rack, and especially the collapsible salesman's rack. Not only is it nice for the shows, but it is a nice way to store my stock dresses at home. 
Dragons2daisies is an amazing product concept with a wonderful mom crafter behind it. Sarah does most of her on-line sales on facebook. Check out her business sight, send her a message. The capes and dresses are so cute, and truly inexpensive. They are great options as gifts, or as party favors. She does custom emblems so feel free to ask for something special to your little supper hero. 
The swag skirted dress did it's job as an impressive image for passers by. Many passers by commented on it. No one bought anything at the show. It doesn't feel great to publicly admit that but it is the truth. I did not have to pay for this show. Sarah from Dragons2daisies sponsored my first attempt at a craft show. A gesture I will not easily forget. Not because of the investment(LOL) but the moral support, and the help along the way. 
