This is what I started with. It was really massive and made me look like I was pregnant lol. It was meant to be a long top i think, it just covered my bum.
I've had it in my project box for ageees and could never thing what to make, but after buying some patterns I started rummaging and got hit with inspiration!
I made this without a pattern, but think it looks good! even if I put about ten holes in it and had to unpick half of it only to sew it up wrong again.... but such is life!
Here is what I ended up with:
ignore the mess! and my green t-shirt underneath...
MINI TUT!
Get a long piece of jersey fabric, attatch the good faces together and sew the end creating a tube. Wear it to see if it fits and adjust if necessary. Seam the top edge. Trim the bottom to where your bust finishes and where the dress starts, cut the rest off leaving enough for seam allowance.
I then gathered the patterned fabric all round the black tube part, sectioning the large patterned piece into quarters to make sure that it was mostly even around the tube. I then pinned pleats onto the tube. Sew round the top where the pleats are.
Nearly done! Turn it rightway round and admire your handywork! Try on to see if there are any adjustments needed.
To gather the bust. Put the dress on and pin where the middle of the top tube part is. Take dress off. Get a small piece of stretchy elastic and pin the top of it to the inside of the dress, lining it up with the pin. Sew a few mm back and forward on the top of the elastic. Then stretch the elastic as far as it will reach and sew along it, keeping the elastic taught. And ta-dah! as if by magic a nice gathered middle section.
And there we have it! even if it's simple I like pictures to go with tuts :-)
What do you think?
