Sew Along Day 1 - Valentine's Day Dress

Valentine's Day Dress

SEW ALONG

Day 1

I'm THRILLED to have you all join me this week in sewing this dress! It is my first Sew Along! This means that each day I will post a few steps for you to do or sew and by Friday you will have a brand new dress that YOU MADE for your little girl!

This is the dress you will make by Friday! What do you think?

This Valentine's Dress does not have to be for Valentine's Day of course! It is just a super cute drop waisted dress with short sleeves and a collar. It buttons up the front and is perfect to wear with tights and boots or flats. My little girl LOVES twirling around in hers and I hope yours doess, too.

I would consider this pattern a beginner/intermediate pattern because of the collar and the sleeves. But if you're worried about those, don't be! I am going to show you pictures to help guide you, just like my entire Seamingly Smitten sewing pattern collection. Or you can simply leave off the collar if you'd like. This is your dress, just have fun!

As always, simply comment below with any question you have or comment if you're having fun! Share this with your friends and let them know we will be here all week sewing if they want to join us! You can also EMAIL ME  any question you have and I will get right back to you:
Jenny Hall -- seaminglysmitten@gmail.com

Who's ready!?

Here's the line-up for the daily posts so you can see what we will work on each day:

Monday - Day 1 - print the pattern / cut out your fabric
Tuesday - Day 2 - assemble and line the bodice / add the collar
Wednesday - Day 3 - attach the sleeves / finish the bodice
Thursday - Day 4 - Buttons and buttonholes
Friday - Day 5 - Attach the skirt and tie and DONE!


Let's get started:

1. CLICK HERE to print your sewing pattern (bodice and sleeve pattern pieces only).

When you print, make sure your printer is set to “Page Scaling – Fit to printable area” and “Auto-rotate and center.”

2. Tape your pattern pages together and cut out the size you need.

3. Gather materials: Dress fabric, lining fabric, 1 yard of grosgrain ribbon for waist tie (or you can make your own waist tie), four buttons (half inch size or larger), iron, pins, sewing machine, straight edge ruler


Recommended fabrics: cotton, cotton blends, corduroy or similar

Amount of DRESS FABRIC needed according to size:

6-9 months: 7/8 yard
9-12 months: 1 yard
1-2 years: 1 yard
3-4 years: 1 and 1/8 yard
5-6 years: 1 and 1/4 yard
7-8 years: 1 and 1/4 yard
9-10 years: 1 and 1/4 yard

Amount of LINING FABRIC needed according to size (broadcloth works fine):

6-9 months:  1/3 yard
9-12 months: 3/8 yard
1-2 years: 3/8 yard
3-4 years: 1/2 yard
5-6 years: 1/2 yard
7-8 years: 1/2 yard
9-10 years: 1/2 yard


4. Wash and dry your dress fabric and lining fabric according to the fabric care instructions. This will help prevent bunching or shifting of the stitching in future launderings.  


5. Time to cut out your dress bodice fabric.

 Take the left selvaged edge of your dress fabric and bring it towards the right selvaged edge of your fabric until you can fit your BODICE pattern piece on it. Press with an iron. Cut around your pattern piece. This will be the BACK bodice.

5. You will add an inch to the FRONT...this is how:

Repeat this to make another BODICE pattern piece for the FRONT but SCOOT OVER the pattern piece 1 inch away from the folded edge of the fabric. This will WIDEN your FRONT bodice so it can overlap for the buttons. We will lower the neckline tomorrow.

6. Do steps 4 and 5 again to cut out your lining fabric to make a FRONT and BACK lining for the bodice. (Once again, we will lower the neckline later.) Remember to scoot your pattern piece away 1 inch from the fold when you are cutting out your FRONT lining piece. Just like step 5.

7. Time to cut out your sleeves using just your dress fabric. Take the top of your fabric and fold it down until you can lay your sleeve pattern piece on it. Press with an iron. Cut around your sleeve pattern piece.



8. Repeat to make your second sleeve but FLIP OVER the pattern piece to cut your second sleeve if your fabric has a one-way design on it. You do not want your pictures on your fabric to be upside down.

9. Cut out your skirt fabric (it's a rectangle) according to size:

6-9 months:  8 in long x 38 in wide
9-12 months:  9 in long x 40 in wide
1-2 years:  10 in long x 42 in wide
3-4 years: 10 in long x 42 in wide
5-6 years:  11 in long x 43 in wide
7-8 years: 12 in long x 44 in wide
9-10 years: 12 in long x 44 in wide

10. Cut out a collar according to the size you are making. It is just a rectangle for now. Cut it on the bias for ultimate stretch.

6-9 months: 3 in long x 17 in wide
9-12 months: 3.5 in long x 18 in wide
1-2 years: 4 in long x 19 in wide
3-4 years: 4 in long x 21 in wide
5-6 years: 4 in long x 22 in wide
7-8 years:  5 in long x 23 in wide
9-10 years: 5 in long x 23 in wide


 

All your pieces are cut and we are done for the day! Tomorrow we will lower the neckline and assemble the bodice!

Comment here if you are having fun or need any help! Have an awesome day, ladies!!

Jenny Hall

Seamingly Smitten owner/designer

www.seaminglysmitten.com