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Monday, September 17, 2012

Tiered Tshirt Dress tutorial - Sew Easy part 16

Tiered Tshirt Dress Sewing Tutorial



Do you remember this dress I showed many months ago? Well it was part 2 of my firefly crush ( part 1 here) and I really liked it. But my daughter was not really into sleeveless dresses ( or fireflies) at the time and it languished in her dresser for a while. But these days she suddenly decided that she loves dresses, and if its sleeveless, even better. So that's how luck smiled on this dress and it became her current favorite.

One day I was trying to change her outfit and she asked me "Am I going to wear firefly dress?" I said "Sure!" and her face lit up :) And then after she put it on she said in all her 3 year old exuberance..."Mama you made it? Its very good!"

There is also this pair of shorts/bloomers that she insists on wearing everyday, and once she wears them, she insists on pointing to everyone that she is wearing some cool shorts that her Mama made.

I think those are the moments where all this become worth it. Maybe she will grow up one day and still love the clothes I make for her. We will see.

Anyhow, with that kind of customer response, it became imperative that I share a tutorial for this dress with all of you here.

I made another one for my niece ( who will be close to an year old when I will finally meet her for the first time)

Supplies:

1 Sleeveless Tshirt/top ( actually any tshirt will do). I bought mine in organic cotton from Walmart for $3.88, I think.

2. Two coordinated fabric scraps
    Fabric 1 - 3 inch X 40 inches
    Fabric 2 - 6 inches X 40 inches

Approximate time:

1.5 hours

Sewing Margin:

3/8 inch ( although it doesn't really matter much in this style)

Construction:
cut a 3 inch strip

Cut a strip of 3 inch from fabric 1


Serge along one long edge of this strip.

For this dress, I used the cheater's method of making ruffles. I cranked up the tension to 7 ( my default is 5.2). Set the stitch length to maximum and set the machine speed to maximum. Then I sewed a seam along the longer edge of the strip
You will see that the fabric is getting ruffled as the seam is sewn. Once you are done sewing the seam you can even out the ruffles by hand although the ruffles should be fairly even already with this method.

Leave about two inches hanging and sew this ruffle onto the Tshirt hemline ( wrong wide of ruffled fabric with the right side of the tshirt hem). Make sure you are taking in equal amount of Tshirt hem all around ( pin if needed). Stop about 2 inches before the starting point.

Now sew together the shorter ends of the strips ( right sides together) keep only enough fabric to cover the remaining two inches of Tshirt. Now sew the remaining ruffle on to the Tshirt. Serge the new hemline for better finish.

With the second fabric cut two strips of 3 inches X 40 inches and sew their shorter ends together to get a circular strip. Serge both raw edges.



Ruffle it using the method mentioned above. Spread the ruffles to make this new ruffle equal to the earlier ruffle length( 40 inches). 





Did you also think that the dress needed a little something on the front? Well! Me too.


I just decided on keeping things simple and do the name of my niece on the front. There! Much better! right?
You could use any technique from freezer paper stenciling, appliques to buttons, trims and what not. However, these letters were done using something else, a technique that is pretty new to me. I will tell you all about it but after a short while.
Until later!

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12 comments:

  1. So cute! Your niece will look adorable in that little dress! I'd love for you to link it up:

    http://crafting-cousins.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-i-wore-sunday-week-33.html

    See you soon!
    ~Natalie

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  2. A cute little dress, Anshu!!! Love the dropped waist!!!

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  3. Love that orange one! I think I am going to have to do this for my little one. Love it!

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  5. This is a beautiful and super cute dress.

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  6. Very cute! I like the butterfly you added on the blue. This would be a good way to add extra length to a ready made dress as well. Thanks for sharing.
    Donna @onceuponasewingmachine.com

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  7. Super cute! And you make it look very simple to make. Thanks for sharing at I Made It! Monday. Be sure and grab a featured button when you link up this week.

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  8. To get this one tiered shirts, online serves you with a random selection of funny one liner t-shirts. It is a great platform for buying one tiered shirts. Tshirt Design

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  9. So cute!

    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a fabulous week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

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  10. I just love the color pattern..you have used.I have also tried some Matching couple t shirts designs.check out

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Leave some sugar :)