Damn that's pink! And covered with flowers. And 50s-ish...........again.

[juniperl13]

magistrix> basically, find a princess-seamed top that fits you well. trace a pattern from it. redraw the top edge of it so that it's strapless and curves up smoothly across your chest. the skirt portion pattern is basically just half of a tall trapezoid. after that it's just a matter of doing all the little details. the gathered basting stitch in the cleavage with a flattened fabric tube wrapped around it and sewn in place, the halter ties (2 more fabric tubes that end in points), the zipper down the back, the right-angled contrast stitching (ruler and chalk!), and a bunch of fabric flowers handsewn on wherever they look best. the little tucks along the top of the skirt happened simply because i made the skirt too big for the bottom edge of the top.

i can't create a tutorial for this because i don't even remember exactly how i made it. if i tried to duplicate it i'd end up with something similar, but not exactly the same.

[magistrix]

magistrix> basically, find a princess-seamed top that fits you well. trace a pattern from it. redraw the top edge of it so that it's strapless and curves up smoothly across your chest. the skirt portion pattern is basically just half of a tall trapezoid. after that it's just a matter of doing all the little details. the gathered basting stitch in the cleavage with a flattened fabric tube wrapped around it and sewn in place, the halter ties (2 more fabric tubes that end in points), the zipper down the back, the right-angled contrast stitching (ruler and chalk!), and a bunch of fabric flowers handsewn on wherever they look best. the little tucks along the top of the skirt happened simply because i made the skirt too big for the bottom edge of the top.

i can't create a tutorial for this because i don't even remember exactly how i made it. if i tried to duplicate it i'd end up with something similar, but not exactly the same.

Thank you very much for all the suggestions, and for taking the time to reply...  The only thing I have to find now is a princess-seamed top that fits me well.   That dress looks so good on you, even if you swear it's too small.  It's extremely flattering - I'll be lucky if it looks half as good on me!

[emma bo bemma]

stretchy knit fabric? as in, t-shirt fabric? i'm tempted to try...do you have any problems with the fabric unraveling at all?

that dress is so fantastic, even more so that you did it without a pattern. go you!!!

[juniperl13]

the nice thing about t-shirt fabric (yeah, that's basically what the flowers are made from) is that it doesn't really, well, unravel. the edges curl up and look a bit rough, but it doesn't fray like normal fabric.

at least it doesn't when you cut it into flower shapes.

[emma bo bemma]

excellent! definitely making some t-shirt fabric flowers this weekend. fun stuff.

[Tessa]

*dies* This. Is. Amazing.
  So cute!

[cunt]

are you kidding me?!?!  that dress could not fit more perfectly than if you had made it for yourself!!!!!!!!!  most people's work on this site ends up looking baggy.  this fits like a hot glove!  not to mention....the 50s dresses were tight anyhow.  you got it...work it!

[janexdoe]

can you make a tutorial for the top part? i have soem really cool alexander henry flash tattoo fabric, and i think it would awesome as a 50's style halter, but i dont know how to, with the darts and all. i also dont want my clevage to show, but i could fix that by just pulling it up, right?

[Mahryeuh]

wow it's really pretty. I love that pink plaid fabric... I want just the top part as a shirt haha. man I love how you tied in the colors with the green flowers, great job

[hotkiss2]

FABULOUS dress Any chance of a tutorial? That'd be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.