Ruffle dresses are so trendy right now. I see them all of the time in stores, but can't get myself to buy one for $30 from Baby Gap when I know I could make one for much cheaper.
So I did...I made one. I used the pattern I had made for Lily's summer dress to make a white dress out of jersey material. I didn't add sleeves to this one since I knew I wanted to add a cardigan I picked up on sale at Children's place to give it a splash of color.
After I sewed the dress, I pinned the lace on one row at a time. For the top rows I kept them closer together. I would pin 3 rows on and then sew them on using a zig-zag stitch to secure until I got to the bottom of the arm holes.
Once I got past the arm holes I just wrapped the lace around and around pinning into place, making sure to keep the rows evenly spaced. I sewed the rows onto the dress using a zig-zag stitch. The finished product looks complicated but it was actually pretty easy. The whole thing took me about 2 hours from start to finish.
Here is the finished product! A view of the front and then the back. It would be totally fine as a sleeveless dress but I prefer the cardigan over - I think it's the perfect touch.
I had a really hard time getting a decent picture of Lily once she had her dress on. Eventually I let her read one of the board books I made to keep her still for a second.
Isn't it adorable? I made it a little long so it will fit her all spring and hopefully the summer too.
For this project, I used 3/4 yd of jersey knit fabric, 13 yards of lace, and 1 button. The total cost was just $12.30 but I already had the button.
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Questions I have received about this project:
1. Did you cut each piece that goes around or do you have one continuous row that goes around and around? For the pieces above the arm holes I pinned it in place and cut each piece (leaving it a little bit longer on each side) when it got to the arm hole. After I got past those arm holes I just went around and around.
2. How do you attach it at the neck and arm holes?
At the neck, my lace had about 1/2 an inch of lace at the top that looked different than the bottom half which is the part I sewed to attach it to the dress. I folded that top part to the inside of the dress at the neck and then pinned into place. (pictured below)
At the neck, my lace had about 1/2 an inch of lace at the top that looked different than the bottom half which is the part I sewed to attach it to the dress. I folded that top part to the inside of the dress at the neck and then pinned into place. (pictured below)
I then sewed along the neck line using a 1/8 inch seam allowance (to the inside of the presser foot) (pictured below)
At the arm holes, I folded the remaining lace I had left extra at the arm hole inside of the arm hole and pinned. (Pictured below)
I then sewed around the arm hole using a 1/8 inch seam allowance (to the inside of the presser foot) (pictured below)
Have any more questions? Just email me and ask!
Absolutely gorgeous - and Lilly is looking so so grown-up and precious!1
ReplyDeleteHow simply adorable!!! I have an 18 month old named Lillie also. I'd like to make one of these for her!! Beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteDress or not she's a little doll! Thanks for the idea, the dress is really adorable! I'm going to make a skirt for my 6 year old using the same technique with a wide elastic waistband. I have a huge bag of lace from a thrift store that I got for $1.00 that would probably make 10 or more of these.
ReplyDeleteThe dress is wonderful and looks fabulous on your little girl!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a cute little dress!!!
ReplyDeletecinsarah.blogspot.com
Beautiful! You make it look so easy!
ReplyDeleteI'd love it if you share at my weekly party: http://itssewforyou.blogspot.com/2011/04/its-sew-fun-tuesday-7.html
aw this is adorable! love it!
ReplyDeleteI'd love for you to link this up to my new link party, Your Whims Wednesday! http://mygirlishwhims.blogspot.com/2011/04/your-whims-wednesday-1.html
That is a fantastic dress. The ruffles are absolutly adorable. Visiting from Show and Tell at Blue Cricket.
ReplyDelete~Kimberlee
{$15 Amazon GC Giveaway}
Oh my that is so dang cute!! Love it!
ReplyDeleteVisiting from Justsewsassy.com
Jess it's gorgeous! Lily is such a lucky little girl :)
ReplyDeleteI'm going to feature this on our blog tomorrow! it's beautiful, great job!
ReplyDeleteJustsewsassy.com
Great job!! I'd love for you to link up at Wow Me Wednesdays!
ReplyDeletehttp://polkadotsonparade.blogspot.com/2011/04/wow-me-wednesday-4.html
Very beautiful!! I love all those lacy ruffles!
ReplyDeleteOM goodness, so adorable and sweet--oh and I like the dress too :)! Thanks so much for linking up to Beyond The Picket Fence.
ReplyDeleteI have a grand-daughter, Lilly, that I will have to make one of these for! Great idea...thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI featured this on my blog!
ReplyDeleteJust an adorable project. The model is adorable too.
ReplyDeleteSo cute! Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI am your newest follower via Home Maker on a Dime Blog Hop. Hope you will follow me back @ Adithis Amma Sews which has Sewing Tutorials on board
My blog's Title is Cute Confessions of a Sew Addict and i share all of my sewing expeditions i undertake while revamping my 4 year old Daughter's and my dear Sister's wardrobe, once in a while i sneak in my wardrobe too !
Your girl is so adorable in that cute ruffled dress! Thank you so much for sharing this with us at the Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop :)
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, that is beautiful!!!! Nice work!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing this at For the Kids Friday at Sun Scholars!!! :)
So cute! Now I want to make one of these for my toddler. She'd love it! Like you, I can't see spending that much on a dress I could make for less.
ReplyDeleteFeisty Mom