Friday, September 12, 2008

patchwork dress


Ok, so you guys are the sweetest! Thanks for all the wonderful comments on the tutorials. I still have several to share, so I hope you aren't getting sick of them.

Today's project is one I have been wanting to try for several weeks. After making this dress, I wondered how it would look in patchwork form (because everything is better with patchwork in my world). This dress is a 2T or (maybe closer to a 3T) size, but could be easily adjusted by adding some length to the dress. I used my Moda Daydreams charm pack for this, cut into quarters.

Make 2 pieces of patchwork. Each piece starts with 81 2.5" (cut) squares, sewn together in a 9 x 9 layout.
the patchwork measures about 18.5" square at this point
Cut 2 pieces of muslin a bit larger than your patchwork. I pin basted it, then I quilted it in the ditch with my walking foot. (don't worry, there is no batting in there.)

trim the excess muslin away
and cut 2 triangles off each side. I measured in 2.25" from each top side (I used the patchwork as a guide) then angled toward the bottom corner. (see photo-it's easy to see, hard to explain)
now you should have 2 trapezoid patchwork pieces which are lined with muslin so the patchwork is enclosed.
working at the top, measure in 1.5" from the right, pin
measure down 4" and pin
cut out a piece (this is for the underarm) with a gentle curve using the pins as your guide
repeat 3 times.
so now each of the trapezoids should have 2 little notches cut out of the top
pin, right sides together, and sew using a 1/4" seam allowance
do this for both sides. your dress should be taking shape.
now, we are going to sew an elastic casing
working from the top, (the dress is upside down in this photo) fold down 1/2" and press
sew to tack down
fold 3/4" and press
pin and sew to form a casing
cut 2 pieces of 1/2" elastic 6.5" long

using a safety pin, pull elastic though the casing and tack at each end to secure
the elastic will gather the top of the dress a bit
cut a piece of fabric for the ruffle that measures 2.5" x 72"
fold in half lengthwise and press

make a ruffle and attach it. (I'm no expert at this ruffle business, so I'm not going to go into detail on how to do it. If you would like to skip the ruffle, you can just hem the bottom.)
Make 2 continuous loops of bias trim that measure 6"
I cut the bias strip 2" wide and then used my bias tape maker
pin the bias trim in place around the armhole. the extra bias trim forms the strap of the dress.
sew around the entire bias loop, making sure to catch both sides of the trim
and your dress should be complete.
perfect for the last few days of summer....
and versatile enough to wear into fall.
How sweet is that?
A few things about this dress...since it is patchwork with a muslin backing, it is quite heavy as far as dresses go...not really fluid, so it doesn't drape the best. once it was on her, I thought it looked pretty normal. I think it will probably get softer with washing and with use.

84 comments:

Melanie said...

How awesome! Today I finished a patchwork dress for my daughter too - I'll blog about it soon. I LOVE yours! Makes me think I really need to go add a ruffle to mine!

Samantha said...

Oh my goodness, that dress is adorable! It makes me wish I had a little girl. Maybe I'll make one anyway:-)

Katherine said...

Adorable! Especially love the little ruffle on the hem. So cute!

Linda said...

Amanda, you are sewing clothes very well these days! LOVE this and it looks so sweet on little A! Great tutorial!

Erika said...

I love this beautiful dress and you model is just adorable. I just have to make no one but two! Thank goodness I have 2 ittle girls.
And no we are not sick of your tutorials we just love them!

Unknown said...

So cute! why didn't I think of that?! Thanks for sharing, this is great :)

Marie' said...

Very cute! I think I will make a skirt version for my daughter.

Anonymous said...

That's awesome! I love it! I have nearly all the same fabrics as scraps too!! I'll have to make mine a little smaller than that - aussie size 1 I'd think! Another project to add to the list!!!! Thanks for your inspiration!

Anonymous said...

Very cute dress! I wish I had the patience to do something like that!

Stacy said...

This is oh-so-very-cute!

Thank you so much for all these great tutorials!

~Stacy

Karen said...

OK...so cute doesn't even begin to describe this little dress...Oh my gosh you are so creative and I spy your fun red and white pincushion in use;)

Myra said...

Sweet... 8-)

sarah, rsm said...

Adorable! And so is the dress!
:-)

What is a "walking foot" and what does it do?

Cindy @ Creating at Home said...

This is the cutest thing I've seen all month!! I love it! I should take your idea and make patchwork skirts for my girls.

QuiltNut Creations said...

this is absolutely adorable! makes me want to have a little girl just so i could make one!

the pesky bombolino said...

Oh, I love it! Your tutorials are just shouting 'write a book'- can you hear them?!

Lisa said...

Okay, that is just too gorgeous!!! love the colors! and the model, well she is just so cute!!!

Sue said...

Omigoodness, cute, cute, cute! Want to make this right now! Thank you for sharing your endless creativity!!!

Unknown said...

How cute!! I just love it and the model is so adorable. Thanks for the tutorial!

Beth said...

Beautiful! I might just have to adapt this into a shirt for me!

Anonymous said...

that is the sweetest thing i have ever seen!! Love it! Libby

Karen said...

Awww! What an adorable dress! Love the colors.

Denise Felton said...

This dress totally rocks! And so do you! I've scheduled a link to this post to go live on my blog later this morning (Central USA time). I hope it brings you a few extra clicks. Thank you so much for making this tutorial available on line.

Denise
http://needlework.craftgossip.com

MichelleB said...

The dress is adorable! And your tutorials are wonderful. How could we possibly get tired of them?

Anina said...

Oh my! How this makes me wish I had a little girl to make this for.
So cute, cute, cute!

audreypawdrey said...

This is so cute! I am going to have to try this, and thank you for all of your lovely tutorials! You have made me a better sewer.:)

Nanette Merrill said...

How could anyone get sick of your tutorials???? NEVER! I love this. If I had a grandaughter I would make it immediately. It is just so darling. And clever.

Anonymous said...

First of all, thank you for your wonderful tutorials. I am a beginner quilter, but an avid dressmaker and your input, pictures and encouragement have made such a difference. :-)

The dress is adorable! I am going to try it for my 9yr old little girl, but with fall colors and heavier fabrics.

Thank you for sharing...

mari

Oiyi said...

OMG, I love this dress!!! Thanks for taking the time to take photos of your steps.

kira said...

This is without a doubt the SWEETEST dress ever! Thank you so much for sharing it! :)

Rebecca said...

I love this. I've been wanting to make a tiered skirt from a charm pack for awhile now for my older daughter. This would be cute for a matching outfit for my littlest one.

wyndesnow said...

It is adorable! No girls in this house though. Only nieces.

Anonymous said...

that is too cute!!! love the fabrics!

Cheryl said...

This is the sweetest dress I have ever seen and your tutorial is fabulous. I have two little nieces that this dress would look soooo cute on. I will have to wait for them to grow a little bit though. They are just shy of a year old right now.
Keep the tutorials coming. We love them!

Gretchen said...

So cute! And a perfect gift for my sister's little girl - and mine too!

Jessica said...

Now that is a super cute dress!

whispering loudly said...

That dress is WONDERFUL! I cannot wait to get my new machine and make one... or two... or three...

AndreaLea said...

Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing the tutorial. :)

CJ said...

SWEET!! What a cute cute little dress. Alas, I have no little girls in my life. :(

Annie said...

VERY Cute dress

Anonymous said...

Love the dress! Keep the tutorials coming!

MelissaS said...

Your timing is perfect. This solves my pj top dilemma! PJ top=shorter dress!

Val said...

This is so cute. I love it. I can't wait to catch up with all of your tutorials and the star quilt. Garden is taking all my time right now.

Beth said...

Wonderfully cute. Aren't charm packs the best? Alas, my boys are very adamant about not wearing dresses. I'll just admire yours and that cute, cute, cute little girl. **sigh**

Philigry said...

perfect! i love it.

I am Arizona; a person, not a place. said...

TOO CUTE!!! I adore this dress and will defintely make it! You should start a flickr group for it....

Anonymous said...

Absolutely Adorable!!!

Saren

Anonymous said...

awesome tutorial and what an adorable little dress model!

Cara said...

OMG! I have to make one of those for my little girl! You ahve done a great job! Thanks for sharing!

Simona Gargiulo said...

I think is BELLISSIMOOOOOOO!!!
I'll do it surely and I'll show you my version!!!;-)
kisses and thankd for all your wonderful tutorials,
Simona

kat | Taylor Made designs said...

so cute, and the dress is adorable too :) What a fantastic model your little one makes.

You truly make things look so easy.

jacquie said...

that is just darling. what a wonderful way to use charm squares!

angharad handmade said...

Great tutorial! And such a cute dress - I love the colour palette.

Michelle said...

That is the cutest thing ever! Wish my girls were still that little, I'd be all over this project!!! Great job!!

lera said...

Ack! Amandajean! That is too cute. (Too much work for me, though. I'm not that ambitious. lol)

Sewing Grandma said...

I found your blog this summer, it is so much fun to follow your projects!

Dandelion Quilts said...

Don't you just love charms? This is so SWEET. I know I say that about just about everything you make, but I mean it EVERYTIME. Oh, she is so precious, too. I sent this to my friend who is a grammie. I just know she'll make it soon.

sulu-design said...

Yes, patchwork does make everything better, doesn't it? What a sweet little dress. I have to admit, I loved your explanation of the ruffle.

Rebekah said...

this is so stinking adorable! Almost makes me want to have a girl so that I can make this :) ... almost

Amy Jo said...

this is so sweet!! I love it. And little A is the sweetest little model!

Jodie said...

Gorgeous little dress, thanks for sharing your pattern.

Jodie :)

Anonymous said...

Such a cute dress! Great tutorial!

Blakely said...

How cute

Kay said...

Terribly cute! Oh my, maybe my girls need one more dress. Love that fabric too, hadn't seen that line. Thanks for the tutorial ;)

Jackie Russell said...

This is too cute!! Keep the tutorials coming.

Emily Cole said...

Wow, that's beautiful! I love it - and it will be great for fall too!

Marie {Make and Takes} said...

Thank you for all your fabulousness! I've been loving all your sewing projects. I hope to get to them all someday soon!

This dress is my fav!

Koningskind said...

Wow, this is lovely!

Clair said...

I like the patchwork and the ruffle. Maybe someday in the next month I will have time to make something cute. The dress is the cutest project so far.

Anonymous said...

Very pretty! The colors are so perfect for both summer and fall.

Anonymous said...

Okay, this is just about the cutest dress I've seen! I want one or two.
You do make it seem so very easy. Thanks!

thejacksgraze said...

Thanks for the lesson in dress making! I made your first non-patchwork dress... maybe a pathwork dress will be later now that I know that I can do it!

Julie said...

I've just been reading your blog, it is a great read, you are very clever and talented. I particularly love this patchwork dress and am off to select some fabric out of my stash to start one for my little girl. It is just gorgeous.
Julie :-)

Julie said...

Its finished!!!!! I just posted a pic on my blog of my little patchwork dress/top. I've made a shorter version of your dress so it can be worn over pants.

Anonymous said...

BONSOIR ELLE EST SUBLIME ET LA PETITE EST ADORABLE ENCORE BRAVO! ABIENTOT AMITIE FABIENNE BONNE SOIREE

Kimmie said...

Do you want to be my best friend...you are so talented. I love this dress of yours...amazingly adorable!

I seriously love you! Our newest Ethiopian daughter will look so cute in one of these this summer, thanks so much for sharing your sewing wisdom!

Kimmie
mama to 6
one homemade and 5 adopted

the amazing jelly fish said...

I love this dress and the tutorials..
Thank you thank you thankyou!

Laurel said...

Oh my goodness! If my crafty to-do list weren't long enough already, I'm dying to try this!!!

pleiades said...

i love this and am so excited i have a daughter to make it for. i can't wait to try it out. thanks for posting this and all the instructions.

Anonymous said...

Did you use the whole charm pack?

Amanda Jean said...

amy,

i don't remember if i used the whole charm pack or not. i think it was pretty close.

aj

Anonymous said...

Wow, I just stumbled across your blog and I'm hooked! I have only been quilting for a few years, but I do lots of sewing for my daughter. I admire your determination in getting so many projects done! I'd love to spend more time sewing, but I like my sleep too much! I will be following along! And thanks for your tutorials, they are awesome.
Melinda
www.thingsthatgrowinmygarden.com

Quilter_Momma said...

I would like to make a patchwork dress for myself, similar to the ones in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

http://www.janepowellscrapbook.com/sevenbrides6a.jpg

I don't know where to begin though...

Could someone help me?

Discount Codes said...

I really like this dress. Great work. nice Its finishing.Thanks....