I LOVE Spring time! It's finally here and some new Spring dresses need to be added into the wardrobe. I found an amazing dress I wanted, but really didn't want to pay $70+ for it, so I made it for only $15 and a little bit of time. Of course, with a few alterations. This is the perfect dress for Spring and Summer, fun and flirty! I found this awesome fabric at Hancock's (on sale of course) and fell in love! Florals are perfect for this time of year and very on trend.
What you need:
2 yards of fabric
(Enough for your dress and lining for your bodice)
12"-16" zipper
I really wanted to find a fabric with a little spandex in it, but couldn't find anything that I liked. This fabric is just 100% cotton. No stretch what so ever! Since I couldn't find a poly blend, I wanted to add some detail into the dress. I like princess seams, but haven't ever tried them out. So....I broke down and bought a dress pattern. I used Butterick pattern 5554. It's a dress pattern, but I chopped the pattern off to the length I wanted for a bodice. And go figure, I had to alter the pattern to make it fit right. Even though the measurements say it's supposed to fit, it never does!
Let's get started! Cut your pattern out and measure the length you want for your bodice and cut the rest of the pattern off. Make sure you leave enough room for seam allowance at the bottom of your bodice! You can always cut more fabric off, but can't add it back. Cut out your fabric using your patterns. I waited to cut out the lining, we'll save that for later. Cut your waist band out in front and back measurements using your waist measurement and adding room for seam allowance. I cut the waist band on a fold and made it 2" deep. Measure how long you want the length of your skit plus room for seam allowance. Since the skirt is pleated, we'll add a few inches to your waist measurement before we cut the skirt. In the front and back center of the skirt I wanted a box pleat, then 2 pleats on either side of it. We're accounting 2" per pleat. A box pleat is basically 2 pleats turned into each other. For your skirt, we're going to cut it out front and back. So take your waist measurement for the front, then back and add 12" plus room for seam allowance to each.
First, we're going to focus on the bodice. Sew your bodice front and back following the pattern instructions but stop before you sew the front and back together. Princess seams are a bit tricky, but keep trying. I had to take a break trying to figure it out.
Once you've sewn both sides of the bodice, use each side as the pattern to cut out your lining. (The back should still be in 2 separate pieces that make the whole.)
Now that you have your lining cut out, with right sides together pin and zig-zag stitch the front and back of the lining and the front and back of your dress fabric at the shoulder. Press your seams then match up your dress bodice and lining bodice with right sides together. Pin and zig-zag stitch around the armholes and up one side of the back, around the neckline and down the other back piece.
To make the triangle cut-out in the back, match your back bodice pieces together. Measure out and mark where you want your triangle. I made sure my triangle started far enough down to cover my bra strap and went down to the bottom of my bodice. Cut out, pin along where you cut your back and zig-zag stitch closed. Turn bodice right side out by pulling the back of the bodice through the shoulders towards the front and press.
Once your bodice is pressed, we'll close the back of the bodice. In the pattern, they put a zipper down the back of the dress but we're going to put a zipper down the side instead. Turn your back bodice with right sides together and match up your neckline down to the top of your triangle. Pin and serge or zig-zag stitch and press your seam.
Get both of your waistbands (front and back) and with right sides together, pin waistbands onto your bodice. Make sure the folded edge of your waistbands will be along your bodice. That way it will create a clean edge if you did your triangle cut out like mine. You'll have the gap along your back waistband where your triangle is cut-out. Stitch/serge the waistband to your bodice and press your seams.
Now to the skirt! If you haven't done pleats before, no worries. It's not as hard as it seems but just in case I'm not able to explain it well, there's a picture below. With both sections of your skirt, you'll mark the top center. Mark 2" on either side of your center mark. Measure out the remainder of your fabric on each side and figure out how far apart your (2) 2" pleats need to be making sure you're leaving plenty of room on either side for seam allowance.
I have a picture below that I'll refer to so I can explain a bit better of how to make the pleats. Each red line that I have marked below, you can fold down that line a few inches and press to make a crease. This will make it easier to match up your marks. One at a time, match each crease up with the corresponding mark going towards the center of your skirt and pin. Once all pleats are pinned, tack down the pleats at the top with a stitch.
With right sides together, pin your skirt panels to your waistband. Make sure your box pleat is centered in the front and back and your stitch that is tacking down the pleats won't be shown when you press your seam. Serge or zig-zag stitch your skirt to the waistband and press.
Turn your dress inside out, so right sides are together and match up your side seams from the underarm all the way down the skirt. Pin and serge or zig-zag stitch. Press your seam. For the right side seam, install your zipper according to manufacturer's instructions. Once your zipper is installed, pin down the rest of the length of your skirt and serge or zig-zag stitch closed. Press your seam.
Last step! All there is to do now is hem the bottom of your skirt. Have your dress turned inside out and press your skirt bottom up 1/4" then another 1/4", pin and stitch.
Now you have your super cute Spring dress! I have a feeling I'll be making more of these! Hope this tutorial was useful to you and you're able to understand it! Explaining it is a lot harder than doing it.
First, we're going to focus on the bodice. Sew your bodice front and back following the pattern instructions but stop before you sew the front and back together. Princess seams are a bit tricky, but keep trying. I had to take a break trying to figure it out.
Once you've sewn both sides of the bodice, use each side as the pattern to cut out your lining. (The back should still be in 2 separate pieces that make the whole.)
Now that you have your lining cut out, with right sides together pin and zig-zag stitch the front and back of the lining and the front and back of your dress fabric at the shoulder. Press your seams then match up your dress bodice and lining bodice with right sides together. Pin and zig-zag stitch around the armholes and up one side of the back, around the neckline and down the other back piece.
To make the triangle cut-out in the back, match your back bodice pieces together. Measure out and mark where you want your triangle. I made sure my triangle started far enough down to cover my bra strap and went down to the bottom of my bodice. Cut out, pin along where you cut your back and zig-zag stitch closed. Turn bodice right side out by pulling the back of the bodice through the shoulders towards the front and press.
Once your bodice is pressed, we'll close the back of the bodice. In the pattern, they put a zipper down the back of the dress but we're going to put a zipper down the side instead. Turn your back bodice with right sides together and match up your neckline down to the top of your triangle. Pin and serge or zig-zag stitch and press your seam.
Now to the skirt! If you haven't done pleats before, no worries. It's not as hard as it seems but just in case I'm not able to explain it well, there's a picture below. With both sections of your skirt, you'll mark the top center. Mark 2" on either side of your center mark. Measure out the remainder of your fabric on each side and figure out how far apart your (2) 2" pleats need to be making sure you're leaving plenty of room on either side for seam allowance.
I have a picture below that I'll refer to so I can explain a bit better of how to make the pleats. Each red line that I have marked below, you can fold down that line a few inches and press to make a crease. This will make it easier to match up your marks. One at a time, match each crease up with the corresponding mark going towards the center of your skirt and pin. Once all pleats are pinned, tack down the pleats at the top with a stitch.
With right sides together, pin your skirt panels to your waistband. Make sure your box pleat is centered in the front and back and your stitch that is tacking down the pleats won't be shown when you press your seam. Serge or zig-zag stitch your skirt to the waistband and press.
Turn your dress inside out, so right sides are together and match up your side seams from the underarm all the way down the skirt. Pin and serge or zig-zag stitch. Press your seam. For the right side seam, install your zipper according to manufacturer's instructions. Once your zipper is installed, pin down the rest of the length of your skirt and serge or zig-zag stitch closed. Press your seam.
Last step! All there is to do now is hem the bottom of your skirt. Have your dress turned inside out and press your skirt bottom up 1/4" then another 1/4", pin and stitch.
Now you have your super cute Spring dress! I have a feeling I'll be making more of these! Hope this tutorial was useful to you and you're able to understand it! Explaining it is a lot harder than doing it.
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