My oldest daughter has been asking me to make something for her with this teal poly-cotton print (see below); so I decided to make a shirt dress like the ones that she's admired in stores. Emily is tall for her age and slender, so off-the-rack doesn't always mean a good fit.
The first thing I did was sketch out approximately how I wanted the dress to look. This allows me to determine what pattern pieces will be needed. Next, I took a detailed set of measurements. Because I made my own pattern for this, the standard set of chest, waist, hip doesn't necessarily ensure a good fit. In addition to the standard measurements, I also measured her neck-to-waist (front and back), shoulder-to-waist (front and back), across and full front, across and full back, bicep, shoulder, side and waist-to-knee.
A shirt-dress should be fairly loose, so I added in a total of 4" of ease to the pattern. I used the front neck-to-waist measurement and half the across front (plus 1" ease) measurement to begin sketching out the pattern in pencil. A 5/8 inch seam allowance is also included. The pattern was sketched onto wax paper (which I like because it is transparent and durable) over a gridded cutting mat for quilting. I used a yardstick as a straightedge.
Using the rest of her measurements, I figured out the correct placement for the shoulder seams, neckline, armhole, waistline, etc. A French curve ruler was used to draw the armholes and neckline. Total length was determined by adding the waist-to-knee measurement to the front neck-to-waist measurement and including additional length for hemming the dress. A similar process is used for the back of the dress. I was careful to ensure that the side seams and shoulder seams matched in length. I also drew the pieces for the sleeve (puffed), collar and belt loops. After I was satisfied with the initial pencil drawing, I went over the lines with a permanent marker so that I could see the lines more easily.
I wanted to check the fit of the pattern, so I pinned it together at the seams and tried it on Emily. This is so that any adjustments can be made before cutting into the fabric. This picture shows only the front and back pinned together; but I also checked the fit of the sleeve and the collar placement. After a few adjustments, I am ready to cut the fabric.
I love shirt dresses!! I made some shirt dresses for my girls a few months ago. I just altered a pattern though. You can check them out on my blog thetexasseamripper.blogspot.com. I can't wait to see how the dress turns out! I know it will be beautidful!! I've never thought to use wax paper. I usually use butcher paper. I'll have to try wax paper.
ReplyDeleteEmily is so pretty!! I can't believe how much she's grown!
Natalee -- Your shirt dresses look fantastic! Thanks for the link, I'll keep following it. I learned about using wax paper from a roommate, it works well for some things, but I can also see some advantages to butcher paper and will have to try it out sometime.
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