Sewing a Little Dress

I am a quilter, not a dressmaker. I am a crocheter and a knitter and so, when I am faced with a garment, it is a bit of a challenge. I have sewn several small garments now and, each time, I learn something new. This time, I had the privilege of sewing with my friend, Julie who has had a lot of experience with garments and the tips she gave me were life-changing. The “burrito” method of sewing the sleeves allowed me to create sleeves that were perfectly even and smooth. Creating a gather using a basted “u-stitch” over and under the 5/8 inch stitch line, created a perfect gather at the waist. Julie’s hint of doing the hem before the skirt was gathered was an amazing tip. If you wait until after the skirt is gathered, it is much more difficult to do the hem because the bottom of the skirt is no longer flat. Her hints around installing the zipper and finishing the lining allowed for a beautiful finish for this little garment.

The idea started with a trip to JoAnn’s Fabric with my friend Jayde where we saw this “CARS” fabric. This very creative mom decided to use this fabric to create a fun dress for her little girl who loves cars. A fun summer dress is now ready for Charlotte as the weather gets warmer.

Never step away from trying something new and always be open to learner AND always be thankful to a good friend for sharing their ideas and expertise with you.