I’ve not been doing much sewing for me and it’s been hard. Really hard. It’s like the sewing machine calls to me when i walk by. “Use me! Pick up some thread! Let’s sew!”
Anyway, it totally broke down my resistance. So i present to you… my new purple velour dress. 🙂
This was material found at Wal-mart’s discount bin. 2 yards for less than $5 i think. If my memory serves me right (It might not, but i’m pretty sure i wouldn’t have purchased it if it had been expensive). :p I’m a novice, sew by instinct kinda girl so i’m still not ready to shell out the dough for expensive fabrics.
Anyway, here’s a quick how-to if you would like to make your own dress. By the way, this started out as a peplum top and then i realized i didn’t do that great a job on the peplum so i changed it up to a dress. So be warned, you’ll see some photos with a peplum.
1. Find a favorite tee shirt, turn it inside out then fold it in half. Place on top of fabric and trace out pattern. I had my fabric folded at the top so i didn’t have to sew the shoulders together. Cut out a neckline. You can have the front lower than the back. I opted to have them the same in front and in the back.
2. This is what you’ll get when you open it up right sides facing each other. Pin the sides together so that the fabric won’t shift when you’re sewing.
3. I sewed down the sides and the neckline. To sew the neckline, fold the fabric inwards twice and zig zag stitch. Velour’s a stretchy knit so remember to stretch as you sew.
4. Now to construct the sleeves. I wanted a subtle faux batwing effect so i took some scraps and combined them. These were taken off of the sides of the top originally so it has a rounded edge. You should have 4 strips combined into 2 longer strips. Fold the rounded edge inwards twice and sew down. Remember to stretch it! It’s okay if it’s not perfect.
5. Pin the middle of this long strip to the middle of the shoulder, right sides facing. Pin all the way around the arm hole and then down the side of the top. There will be excess material that stretches down the side of the top. Place the excess side by side and then zigzag stitch.
This is what you’ll get. (Ignore the peplum)
6. Measure a length of skirt that you want then add half an inch allowance. Since velour is stretchy, i cut out a rectangle that has a width the circumference of the top, and desired length. Zig zag stitch the long edge of the rectangle then pin the short side to the top, right sides facing. Zig zag stitch all round.
The dress looks shapeless on the hanger. You need a body to bring out the shape. That’s the magic of knit fabrics. 🙂 So if you make your own, i recommend machine wash in cold water, gentle cycle, 10 mins in the dryer and then hang dry. It’ll shrink a little but will stretch out with wear.
Here’s how i accessorized it.
