Our Clothes Category

Are you like me where you have the compulsive need to not waste fabric?? Yea, it’s a thing for me. I got this gold/brown/tan crazy fabric from my mom, who got it from someone preparing to move who was giving away boxes of fabric. I don’t really have a use for cotton calico as I don’t really quilt anymore. So it was a bit of a challenge figuring out what I was going to do. But then I pulled out some other scraps, I found this one from a tunic I made a while back. I thought, why not do something similar but make it a dress. And tada! Here’s the dress! I hadn’t planned on making a tutorial for this one because it was a huge pain; but if there is enough interest in it, I’m more than happy to.

I dare say a girl can never have too many dresses. And it is spring time which means we can bring out the knit dresses and not freeze to death!

So this is a pretty easy dress. I used a t-shirt, a yard (or so) of fabric, some scrap fabric, and 1.5” wide elastic.

Now you can do this without the ruffle sleeves but I think they just really step up the dress.

1. I started with a t-shirt 1 size to big for me so I could tailor it down to fit me exactly. First cut off the sleeves (but keep them!). Then put it on inside out and pin to fit. I also cut the collar out to make a scoop neck instead of a crew

2. Next, sew up the sides so you now have a fitted upper section.

3. Mark with chalk where your natural waist is.

4. Add 1/5” for seam allowance, then cut

5. Cut strips of black jersey 4” wide

6. To create a lettuce edge, use a zigzag stitch on the edge, stretching the fabric while you sew

7. Lay out 3 strips with 1” overlap.

8. Using the sleeves that you cut off in step 1, cut out the sleeve shape. You’ll end up with a cap-like sleeve

9. Pin the layers together so they don’t shift. Then attached to the bodice

10. Cut elastic 1” shorter than you waist measurement. Sew ends together

11. Attach elastic band to bodice.

12. Cut skirt:

13. Sew sides, then attach to waist band

14. Hem and done!

I love clothing that has more than one purpose as Jessica Simpson said: “It’s a Two-fer”

And this is the perfect summer two-fer: a skirt/dress. I purposely made this super super simplistic so that a beginner sewer could accomplish this. I did it in under 45 minutes (right before the photo shoot), and I can’t wait to make another one. What a useful piece of clothing!

1. To start, take your largest ‘around your body’ measurement. (So most likely your hips or bust)

2. Take your measurement from your waist to the floor. Add 2”

3. Cut a rectangle using measurements from steps 1 and 2

4. Sew together down the length

5. Take your waist measurement and subtract 1. Cut a piece of 1.5” wide elastic to this measurement.

6. Cut a strip 4” by the measurement from step 5. Do not add seam allowance

7. Sew ends of fabric strip together

8. Fold fabric in half, wrong sides together. You’ll probably want to pin the bottom (open) edge together so it doesn’t roll.

9. Pin fabric strip to skirt, Sew, but leave a 2-3” opening in the back. Stretch the fabric as you go so the whole seam can stretch.

10. Feed your elastic through the opening into the waist band.

11. Once all the way through, sew elastic closed. Then sew the opening closed

12. Hem the skirt to floor length, about 1”

Done!

So on one of my many shopping sprees at my fav fabric shop G Street fabrics (@gstreetfabrics), I found this beautiful army green cotton-blend lace fabric. I knew I wanted to make something like this drawing I did a while back, but the lace wasn’t exactly right for it. So instead of making it as one continuous piece, I decided to make a cover-up/over shirt. That way I can throw it on over a tank or a dress or even my bathing suit. It makes the perfect throw on top. And it couldn’t be easier to make.
1. I started with a t-shirt that was 1 size too big for me; that way it would be a bit loose.

2. Then I traced around the shirt, adding ½” for seam allowance as I went.

3. I added a deep v-neck just because I felt like it

4. Now I sewed the shoulders and side seams

5. And to finish it off, I just rolled all the raw edges.

And that’s it. Just like that you have an awesome top. Easy-Peasy

Like the peach dress/skirt? You’re in luck! It’s next weeks tutorial!