Wednesday 19 March 2014

Independent work; Diy loose babydoll dress




How to draft a top pattern 
First fold piece if pattern paper or just a large sheet of paper in half.
Measurements:
A) neck to bust
B) neck to waist (smallest part of your body)
C) neck to hips (largest part of your body)
D) circumference/width of your bust /4
E) circumference/width of waist /4
F)circumference/width of hips /4
G) 2.5cm 
Notes: I use one pattern for the front and back, for the front I cut a lower neckline
I forgot to put to measure from the neck to the top of the shoulder  
I cut out from a big piece of fabric but you would use about 1.5 meters 

To draft a sleeve use this website http://www.ikatbag.com/2010/08/drafting-part-v-drafting-basic-sleeve.html?m=1 

How to put your dress together
1) Make all your paper patterns, alternitavely you can make patterns from an existing top, check out YouTube for tutorials.
2) Fold your fabric in half and lay the pattern ontop, lining up the folded edges.
3) from the point under the arm draw straight down upto your waist, like in the drawing.
4)If you haven't already, draw your 1.5cm seam allowance (or however many you usually use) around the pattern onto the fabric. Do this twice so you end up with a top and front pece (remember to alter the front neckline).
5) Place your sleeve pattern onto the folded piece of fabric and adding your seam allowance if you haven't already draw around the pattern. Drawing straight down if you want loose sleeves similar to on a Tshirt (the image I've drawn is of a sleeve measuring to the elbow, not of the whole length of the sleeve so alter on the pattern).
6) Use your top waist pattern measurement and times it by 2.5/3  so get a rough width of your skirt piece (basically you want a long piece of fabric long enough so I goes around your top with a bit extra so you can gather it and make it flowy).
7) Now hem the pieces that you need to, neckline (I find easier to do first), bottom of skirt piece and bottom of sleeve. If your find it easier you can do this right at the end. 
8) Turn the top pieces facing each other, then sew the top of the shoulders together. Then sew in the sleeve making sure you pin it in place and leave some seam allowance to see down the sleeve and down the dress. (Watch some videos on youtuve if you need help doing this part)
9) Sew down the sides of the top and side of the sleeves. 
10) Turn the top right side out, attach with pins the skirt piece on the top piece. Pin down where half of the skirt is to where half of the front/back is, this will give you even gathered sections.

11) I find it easier to gather as I sew but you can pin down the gathers and then sew. 
12) Considering I haven't left anything out you are done and can just iron it flat and then it's ready to wear. 

This is what you should end up, hopefully my instructions where fairly easy to understand if not leave a comment below and I will try and answer them. Hope you guys like the tutorial, this is the first time I've done this so tell me what you think and have fun sewing.

I have seen this type of dress selling for around £50-£60 which is crazy especially when I know I can make the exact same for less than £10. 

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