Back to School Dress - Tutorial - Now on Adithis Amma Sews

Dear Readers,


I had earlier published this Tutorial as a guest post in the month of August, on Jill's Creating my way to Success. For those of you who missed it then, here it is on Adithis Amma Sews.




Would you like to have a look at what are we going to make today ! Here we go !!!

Entire Dress set with Headband and Belt!

I saw Lonsdale Dress @ sewaholic and was inspired by it. It was quite easy to knock off the look for my darling daughter, the actual pattern of it (from what i saw of the sketch) is quite different from what i have drafted (my draft does not have seams at Center front and does not need gathers at busline as we are sewing for tiny tots!)

First let us see the pattern Drafting Part of it,

Now that we have drafted the bodice, lets get on to Cutting of pattern pieces on fabric

We would need 1 front bodice piece cut on fold, and 1 back bodice piece cut on fold


For the skirt part, you can have plain rectangle fabric (width = 1.5 times your waist * length as desired) or you can also have circle skirt or in fact any style of skirt. In this tutorial i am using plain rectangle fabric cut for 15"length across the entire width of fabric (42" inches), the excess will be pleated to match the waist round of bodice!

Cut pattern pieces marked with stitch lines!

Now lets get on to sewing part ...

First we shall finish front bodice, to let the Tie Straps go in we need to have a slit, so we shall make a buttonhole at Center front right beneath the stitch line at top! Let us interface this area to make it stronger once it is slit open!

Finished ButtonHole at Center Front

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Now let us finish the open top edge using bias strip

Now let us move on to the Back Bodice, all we need to do here is create a casing for elastic and also create 2 loops for the straps to pass through at the back

The following step is a bit tricky, and if you can't get it out, don't worry, this is just to ensure the stitch does not show on right side where the loops are attached, so you can directly just fold the loop and tuck in raw edges on both ends and pin it in place and top stitch on the right side, easier way of doing it, but the stitch shows on the right side, though it will not be easily visible once the elastic is pushed through the elastic casing and the back becomes gathered! You need to flip to the RS of back bodice, then to get the raw tucked edge top stitched upon, without catching the top layer of the loop, carefully slide the presser foot, through the loop as shown below,

Now let us insert the elastic into the casing!

Now that the back bodice is also finished, it is time for us to join the front and back bodice at side seams!

You can finish the seams in whichever way you would prefer, i have overlocked them and have also overlocked both the top and bottom end raw edges of the skirt.

Instead of serging raw edges, it can also be just folded twice and get a clean finish, simple!

Now that we have finished the hem, let us join the seams of the skirt (you may as well join the seam and then finish the hem, it is up to you!)

Time for us to join the bodice and skirt pieces together at the waist line. Please notch the Center as well as sides of Skirt portion, the seam will be joined at Center Back of the bodice. 

Did you notice the gap or the excess of skirt fabric in above picture, once they are all pinned up to matched notches! you can gather or pleat as per your wish! I have chosen to pleat and have pleated at opposite direction to get box pleat at both Center Front and Center Back

Finished Outfits Back & Front View on the Wrong Side

Finished Outfits Back and Front View on the Right Side 

Now it is time for us to make the Tie Straps and add them to the dress

Fold the Tie strap into half along its length and then sew the seams, use a safety pin and turn them over the Right side, you get a 

Slide these straps through the button hole and there you have it! Back to School Dress - Adjustable Summer Dress !

Action Shots!

Before adding the flower!

To add bit of zing to it decided to add flower and headband and a belt!! 

Close up of the flower !

Look who is all Dolled Up!!!

Had already made 2 dresses in this style and here are the snaps of them

In Bright Cheery Yellow Printed Cotton ! with brownish silk belt and ties!

The below one was the first dress i made in this style , fabric is Teal Blue Cotton with floral prints and has a brownish green silk fabric strap and belt!

Hope you liked this Tute, for more Sewing and Pattern Making Tutorials, please check out Tutorials page of Adithis Amma Sews and do leave your valuable feedback.

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