Christmas time is here! | Week 50 | #52wonderfilledweeks
This week I had planned on sewing up both the kids' Santa/Christmas outfits but with everything going on it was impossible. HOWEVER, I was able to get P's dress done and just in time for her to go to her FIRST concert ever, New Philharmonic's Nutcracker! I have played this production for several seasons now and was so excited she was finally old enough to attend. It was still pretty long for her and I think her attention was starting to wane at the end but it was really cute to look up from the pit and see her clapping after each scene.
I made her another Patterns for Pirates, Me Hearties dress. I've made a few of these this year for her. It's a super easy pattern and has a circle skirt which is the ultimate twirling skirt so it's my go to. I bought this soft double brushed poly, I think from Knitpop, last year. While I have made this pattern before I did have a few curve balls thrown at me!
I knew I wanted to make a black dress with the skirt in the Christmas plaid. I had some regular black DBP on hand and cut out and put together the bodice but when I had P try it on I was struck at how thin the black DBP was. This is a "winter" dress and it just seemed thin and flimsy - even though I have used this for numerous other makes. I was sort of stopped dead in my tracks wracking my brain for an alternative. With the busy week I had I didn't have time to order anything online or stop by any brick and mortar stores for a different option. Then I remembered this liverpool I bought at JoAnn's a few year back. It has a plaid pattern in it, but black on black and with the heavier weight I thought it might dress up the dress and add some heft.
The down side I realized as I was sewing up the new bodice is that it is a little scratchy on the inside..which is why I don't wear the shirt I made from it as often as I'd like...but that's when inspiration struck! I already had a second bodice cut and sewn from the thinner DBP...what if I just use that inside as a lining?? I was so stupidly excited that it worked...it looked great and in the words of P "It's so cozy and warm Mama".
Here's how I lined the bodice. With both bodices sewn together (I had already sewn them when I decided to line it) I put right sides together pinned/clipped the neckline and sewed around the neckline with a stretch stitch on my sewing machine. I didn't want to serge the neckline since that can sometimes add bulk. Once they were sewn together I turned them inside out and clipped the center pivot area, ironed and top-stitched with a longer than usual straight stitch. then I basted the bottom edge of the bodices together before I added the skirt. Basting the two layers together keep things from shifting as I was attaching the skirt.
I matched the sleeves together and serged around them before I turned under 1/2" and top-stitched.
I knew P would need a Christmas bow to match as well but didn't have any matching ribbon so I set out to make my own. I used two strips of the plaid fabric. (Also, for those that ask how I get things done...notice P working on her own project in the background!)
And then cut the ends at 45 degrees. In retrospect I should have not made a parallelogram but a rhombus...I had to twist the ends to get them to look the same on the final bow.
With the ends cut I put right sides together and sewed around the strips leaving a 4" gap for turning.
I clipped the corners and used some thinner interfacing on both sides of the 'ribbon' to add stability so the bow would not just flop around. Once I had the interfacing bonded to the fabric I turned it inside out.
Next I just kind of played with different ways to fold it into a ribbon. I was hoping to use the method I linked to on the blog a few weeks ago but I made the strips too short...
Once I had the ribbon how I liked it I wrapped the center in thread and made a smaller strip to add to the center.
I purposefully made the center piece so that I could slide a clip or headband thru the back of the bow. I really like versatility when it comes to accessories!!
All in all I like how it turned out. If I have time I'll add a bolero jacket for her visit to Santa and Christmas Day but first I need to finish brothers vest!
May the sewing Gods ever be in your favor if you're like me and still working on things for the big day!!
Comments
Post a Comment