All-American Dress Tutorial
/Just for fun, I decided to make dresses for all four of my girls for Independence Day.
I designed this high waisted halter style and it was sooooo easy to make! Really!!
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OK... here goes a little tutorial.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UIVRRb3bvvk/T_G--5iFchI/AAAAAAAADtI/NA6SxoYop_w/s640/title+pic.jpg)
I make my bodice patterns by tracing shirts that already fit the child well and adding seam allowances. For this one, I also made a V-neck and a high waist- only about 3/4" below the armpit.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sKR5Hsod0Ic/T_LiR9758VI/AAAAAAAADvs/mhLARWJIFx8/s640/patterns.jpg)
Cut two of them out, sew the right sides together, clip the curves, and notch the V-neck.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xm490JnZMYs/T_G7DBREOVI/AAAAAAAADpM/bxHE66idAp0/s640/P6239489_edited-1.jpg)
Then just flip and press. Top done. Easy!
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pd00iN-c4gs/T_G7MsPUztI/AAAAAAAADpY/LTHFwCKXz5s/s640/P6239491.jpg)
I am about to get a little sidetracked here... bear with me. Originally I was hoping to put a bigger dent in my patriotic fabric stash from 10 years ago, but
I couldn't find fabric that I liked for the bottom- plus I am cheap- so I tie-dyed a plain, white, flat sheet. I used Rit Dye and a lot of the red washed out. :( I mixed more dye and brushed concentrated dye on using a foam brush. That helped, but most of that washed out as well and made my whites more pink. I decided to call it the "faded" look. I have pictures of this process, but I will spare you since I have just wasted a whole paragraph talking about it already.
Back to the sewing part now... For the skirt part- take the measurement of the bottom edge of your top and double it- that is your width. Then, measure about how long you want the dress to be and add 3-4"- that is your length. Cut two of those (front and back). Sew a gathering stitch along the top edge of your front piece.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_btBSvTHTUE/T_G79EtnrNI/AAAAAAAADqM/ZQNUDdcxRPo/s640/P6269678.jpg)
Pin right sides together with the bottom edge of the dress top.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HA2hhK__91k/T_G8E1wrFCI/AAAAAAAADqU/719UkOgz71Y/s640/P6279680.jpg)
Sew and zigzag or overlock. Front done- see how easy this is?
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mz0iAxyCc-Q/T_G8PzHJ7KI/AAAAAAAADqg/SbDjdtYKmmU/s640/P6279682.jpg)
Now for the back... Press the top edge in 1/4"...
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dLiuxfTpNeQ/T_G8WXFfuqI/AAAAAAAADqs/r52fOgmBV7g/s640/P6279684.jpg)
Then press under again and sew a casing that is a little wider than your elastic.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H89LU9Q1jNs/T_G8jrBzTTI/AAAAAAAADq4/QWgt1ujL6Os/s640/P6279685.jpg)
Cut a piece of elastic a little smaller than half of the chest measurment. Push it into the casing and zigzag over it several times to hold it in place.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M-b0uA8hUJ0/T_G8qwUm3KI/AAAAAAAADrA/j7i0bXb2sXM/s640/P6279687.jpg)
Do the same on the other side so that your back looks like this:
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A-x_PH9jdPY/T_G8yfUKG3I/AAAAAAAADrI/LQbwpRJ-l5E/s640/P6279688.jpg)
Sew the sides of the dress together and zig zag or overlock the edges.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cvjeTiioQbw/T_G85OQGsQI/AAAAAAAADrQ/tG94TWEL3Q0/s640/P6279691.jpg)
Almost done! Now for the straps... go back to the top of the dress and measure the width of the shoulder 1/4" below the top edge. Double that and add 1/2" seam allowance. For example, the smallest dress measured 3/4" at the shoulders, so I doubled that to 1 1/2" and added 1/2" to make 2". Then just cut two straps the width you just figured out by whatever length you want. Sew the long edges together with the right side facing inward.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1BHLJeJiwIY/T_G9JMijPgI/AAAAAAAADrg/pdNDQ6SfXOQ/s640/P6289701.jpg)
Flip and press the straps. Turn the bottom edge in about 1/4" or more and slide it over the shoulder of the halter top.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CWWrgBFhd-s/T_G9OEPP0DI/AAAAAAAADro/mr-OMQsGB_Y/s640/P6289705.jpg)
Sew it in place really well- I went over it several times to make it stronger. This is the hardest part to sew- be careful that it doesn't slide around as you are sewing and that the edges match up.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ianF6rYUas0/T_G9UhxBMNI/AAAAAAAADrw/YhZzCJZkhNU/s640/P6289708.jpg)
Topstitch close to the edge around the entire top- from one armpit, all the way up and around the straps on both sides, and back around to the other armpit. Take your time and try to keep a nice, even line.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7oTH30ImmJY/T_G9fV4ZogI/AAAAAAAADr8/UJfk1RbS_OE/s640/P6289710.jpg)
Finally, hem the dress! It will be uneven because the casing in the back makes it shorter than the front. Just trim off the excess and even things up.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HhfBhJsD478/T_G9CnQfUUI/AAAAAAAADrY/WukO4Lnsllg/s640/P6279692.jpg)
See? It wasn't hard. I whipped up all four of them in no time. :) I even had time to make flower hair clips to match.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fm87vvOaUbM/T_G9-p6dg-I/AAAAAAAADsY/r2iW_mNZFwU/s640/P6289731_edited-1.jpg)
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Happy Independence Day!