Style 165

 

This adorable summer dress has a large portrait collar and bow.

Inspiration Picture

View A

Mark the front and back bodice darts.  

Stitch the back darts and press the darts towards the center backs.  

The front darts will be stitched later.  Stay-stitch the bodice center front point.  

With right sides together (WRST) stitch the bodice side seams and press the seams open.

Repeat these steps for the bodice lining.

WRST, stitch the collars pieces together.  

Trim the seam allowances and clip and notch the curves.  

Press the seams open, turn the two collars right side out, and press the collars flat.  

Turn the collars inside out again, and stitch the bottom of the collars.  Trim and clip the seam allowances.  

Turn the collars right side out, and press flat.  I found stitching and pressing the collars in two steps made it easier to press them and get the right shape.  Baste the ends of the collars together and clip the curves.  Top-stitch the collars if desired.

Baste the two collars to the top of the bodice between the markings.  

Stitch the top of the bodice to the lining.  Clip the curves, the center front point, and trim the seam allowance.   Under-stitch the lining.  

Stitch the bodice and bodice lining front darts.  Press the darts towards the center fronts.  Turn the bodice right-side out and press flat.  

Baste the lining to the bodice at the waist and center backs.

WRST, stitch the skirt and skirt lining pieces together.  For best results, stitch each skirt seam from the bottom of the skirt to the top.  Press the seam allowances open.  

Skirt lining

WRST, stitch the skirt lining to the bottom of the skirt.  

Under-stitch the lining and turn the skirt right-side out.  

Press the bottom of the skirt and stay-stitch the skirt to the lining at the waist.

WRST, hand baste the bodice to the skirt at the waist, matching the skirt seams to the side seams and darts.  Clip the skirt’s seam allowance as needed. 

Machine stitch the skirt to the bodice.  Serge or zig-zag the waist seam and the center-back seams.  Fray-Check the serger threads and trim when dry.  

WRST, stitch the back seam to the marking.  Press the seam allowance open and the back opening.  Sew 3 snaps to the back of the dress.

Bow

Bow and knot

 

Press the sides of the bow, WRST fold the bow so that the pressed ends are centered on the back of the bow.  Press the knot strip into thirds lengthwise and press up the ends.

Stitch the unpressed ends and clip the corners.

Turn the bow right side out and press it flat.

Mark the center of the bow.

Hand-gather the bow at the center.  

Pull the thread tight and wrap the thread a few times around the gathers, knot the thread. 

 Wrap the knot around the bow gathers and stitch the ends together. 

Tack the bow to the center front of the dress.

View B

The bodice is constructed like View A, except do not baste the bodice lining to the bodice at the waist.

Mark and stitch the skirt and skirt lining darts.  Press the darts towards the center fronts and backs.    WRST, stitch the skirt and skirt lining side seams.  Press the seams flat. 

The front darts can also be left unstitched and just pleated at the markings.

Cut 1/4" off the bottom of the skirt lining.  Stitch the skirt lining to the bottom of the skirt and under-stitch the lining.

WRST, stitch the skirt to the bodice at the waist and stitch the skirt lining to the bodice lining at the waist.  Match the side seams and darts.  Press the seam allowances towards the bodice. 

WRST, stitch the center back seam leaving the back open between the markings.  

Press the seam allowance open and the back opening seam allowance.  Turn the dress right side out and hand stitch the lining to the back opening.  Press the bottom of the skirt.  Sew 4 snaps to the back of the dress.

View C

The bodice is constructed like View A,

Stitch the tulle to the bottom of the skirt and under-stitch the seam.  

With wrong sides together, pin the top of the tulle to the top of the skirt.  The shorter tulle will “hem” the skirt.  Gather-stitch the top of the skirt with the longest gathering stitch length and press the skirt flat.

Ignore that the bodice is different

Gather and pin the skirt to the bodice at the waist and stitch.  Serge or zig-zag the waist seam and the back of the dress. 

Fray-Check the serger threads and trim when dry.  

WRST, stitch the back seam from the skirt bottom to 2” below the waistline.  Press the seam allowance open and the back opening.  Sew 3 snaps to the back of the dress.

Petticoat

Fold down and stitch a 1/2” casing for the elastic.  

Gather and stitch the bottom of the petticoat to the top of the petticoat.  Top stitch the seam.  

Thread the elastic through the casing.  

WRST, stitch the back seam.

Gloves