Fun in the sun (or.. the clouds as the case may be!) - smocked summer dress!

[iheartcheese]

I have been wanting to try smocking for ages!  Finally I did! 

After much trial and error (Seriously... MUCH), this is the end result!

It is tedious, but gloriously easy!  I love it!  More to come, my friends... More to come!


Made with a lightweight, woven cotton.  1.50 a meter ('cause I bought what was left of the bolt... ahem... 9 meters...)

Had some serious issues getting the hem to sit nicely.  It kept getting shorter and shorter... finally when I thought it was a lost cause, doomed to shirt-dom, my husband suggested a band at the bottom.  The band is shiny lining fabric...

the back...

the front and my crazy face.

close up of the shirring...

I did some shirring on my infinity dress as well.  This dress actually came before the infinity, but is only finished as of today!

I love it

[pollyprissypants]

What a cute dress!

[meggy_doodle]

That is so adorable!

[JoleneRenae]

I love your dress and fabric! I have yet to try smocking.

[Delectably Deviant]

That is super cute, and it looks great on you!   

You must have a lot of patience to do all that smocking.

[maidofspades]

Totally loving it! 

[DJOni]

Super cute!
I love the look of socking, but would probably give up after 5 inches. Way to persevere!

[Stars_Fire_17]

Super cute.  I love the fabric.  Great colors   I can see why you would buy the rest of the bolt for that price

[r.forslund]

way cute, LOVE IT! love the color. 

[iheartcheese]

Thanks all!

I am very pleased with the end result.  It was verrry tedious to actually do the smocking, but it seems to get faster as you go, which is good!   Think I may wear it again today

[SunflowerSmiles]

that is soooo cute!  you look wonderful in it!  Great material....nice work  
Very flattering on you.

[kitschykraftkitten]

Oh wow!  I LOVE it!   

[grammardog]

That is GORGEOUS!  I tried smocking once with far less success... you did a great job, and you look amazing in the dress!

[fluffybaka]

It fits you fabulously.  But most of all, I love that fabric!  I would've bought the whole bolt, too.

[mcook72677]

Very awesome!!  Now you can get started on mine.  Hahaha!!!

[NikkiZBM]

So cute!

[iheartcheese]

Thanks ladies!!  Next is a tiered, multi-coloured affair... again, smocked.  I will post that ASAP.  Hoping to finish it before our Montreal trip next week!!

[Fontiua]

Love the Fabric. super cute dress

[sarafree]

Impressive! Very cute and summery. 

[roses are red]

HOLY CRAP THIS IS AMAZING! THIS ROCKS! THIS ROCKS THIS ROCKS!

i am very jealous of your wicked skills

i would definitely wear this bad boy!

oh i just imagine the amazingness in some sort of alexander henry tattoo fabric or black and red cherries or skulls... amazing <3

and i love the fabric you chose obviously. great work

[sunflowerchild]

I like it! You did a Great job! Very Summery!

[craftydebs]

Very nice and I think the band is the perfect touch!

[bananabanana]

That looks great. I love the band at the bottom. You have a clever husband!
Can I please ask....when you measured around yourself to make the dress and cut the fabric, how much extra fabric did you allow for the smocking? (I tried this once and used elastic thread for shirring and it ate up my fabric making the finished one too small!)

[iheartcheese]

Thanks 

bananabanana, I started out with a piece that was double my bust measurement, but that turned out to be too much and I took off a few inches of smocking at the end.  I made a smocked skirt after this with 1.5 the width of my hips, plus an extra inch or two and that turned out much better.

[bananabanana]

Coolies. So If I get bust measurement times 1.5 it should fit, with a couple of inches just in case...
I made something WAY too small once and was so bummed about wasting all that time smocking that I haven't done any more. But you have inspired me once more!

[starfish1211]

what an adorable dress! That fabric is nice as a dress! I just learned how to shirr (after figuring out how to make it shirr lol) Great job

[designsbyfel]

Love that dress and fabric!

[squiggyflop]

awww that is so cute! i love all the smocking

[jungrrl]

Congrats!!

You're a Craftster Best of 2010 Winner!



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[GoblinofHa]

That is so cute! It looks really great on you too. I've been thinking about making a dress like this for a while, and you've inspired me to get to it!

[devilnoodles]

love this dress and you look great in it!

[Becreddick]

so cute! love the colours as well, they suit you so well! 

[Wildbluestarz]

Love the print! I would totally buy it if i saw it in tbe store:)