The Holiday Dress

The holiday season is fully upon us, and while I had full intentions of making a fall dress for my little miss it never happened, so I wasn’t going to let Christmas and the New Years pass me by. I have a few holiday dresses to share and the first one is perfect for Christmas. (it’s even made out of an old tree skirt)

I have been trying to use up my fabric stash, so I went through and pulled fabrics that said Christmas to me. I found my old tree skirt (yes I don’t throw things away when there is good fabric to use up) A solid blue that matched the tree skirt, and some red silk and cream lace. Everything for a good Christmas dress.

To start I used a shirt as my pattern. I used one that fits well but a little loose so I would get a comfy fit on the dress. Cut one on the fold. (2 if you want the back fully lined) Don’t follow the neckline when cutting you want that to be straight across.

Then you are going to cut out the same piece but make it about 2 inches wider. Don’t cut this piece on the fold but cut 2 of them (4 if you want the front fully lined)

Then with that piece you just cut you are going to cut in the front neckline. This can be however deep or wide as you want I followed the shoulder line from the top I patterned after, and then cut down about the same neckline.

Then if you lay your pieces so the two front pieces overlap and they line up with the back piece you will get the idea of how your top will look. (if you need to cut the neck more or not)

Now for the sleeves. Cut two sleeves I patterned mine after the shirt I used, only I made the sleeve longer. Then two cuff pieces for each sleeve. They were the width of the sleeve and two inches tall. then I cut a V in the middle for detail.

Now for the skirt. I wanted it to be full so I made it 2 1/2 times wider than the top bodice piece (on the fold) Then I cut two of them and I put a little curve in the bottom so it would have a little flair.

Lastly I measured around the neckline of the pieces I cut out and multiplied that by 3 then I cut a long strip that was the length of my neckline times 3 and about 4 inches wide. (this is for the neck ruffle)

Ok to start sewing, sew under the edges of the ruffle piece.

Then fold it in half and run a basting stitch along the raw edge to gather it. To save time with the ruffle, if you hold the top thread while you are sewing it gathers for you and then you don’t have to gather it later.

Then sew your front and back bodice pieces at the shoulder. Now the picture shows the top being sewn at the side seams, which is fine to do if you are fully lining the top, or not lining the top at all. I however chose to only line the front and not the back and if you do that as well then don’t sew the side seam yet… it’s easier if you don’t.

Ok next sew your ruffled piece around the neckline of the bodice.

Ok I have no real rhyme or reason for only lining the front it’s just what I did. You can line the front and back or the front, or neither. However you will want to make a lining piece to help you finish the edge. So Shown above is my front lining and the neckline piece sewn together at the shoulders and then pinned on top of the ruffle. (does this make sense?)Now sew along that edge. Then turn it around to the inside. This is where sewing the side seams if you only line the front would work out best.

So now you should have something that looks like this. See how you can see the neckline piece? I turned that piece under and then I topstitched it down. I also topstitched around the edges.

Now for the sleeves. Start by taking 2 cuff pieces and sew them together along the top edge. Turn them right side out and top stitch.

Then sew the cuff to the wrong side of the sleeve. Then turn the cuff around to the right side and topstitch.

Then sew your sleeve right sides together to make a tube.

Then sew your sleeves to the top.

Next sew your 2 skirt pieces at the side seams. Then sew a basting stitch across the top and gather it.

Then with right sides together pin the skirt to the bodice. Make sure you overlap your front pieces so they match up with the width of the back piece. Then sew in place.

Now hem the bottom, and your dress could be done. I however wanted to add 2 more details to make it more festive…

First for a POP of color. I added large silk flowers Tutorial found here. I also wanted to add interest to them so I added the lace and gold (the gold is from a ribbon) Then I sewed some beads in the middle.

I also wanted to add a bow. Nothing says holiday season quite like a bow. 🙂 To make this I cut a long strip of fabric long enough to wrap around and tie in back. Then I sewed it in half making a long tube turned it right side out and then I had my sash. I sewed it to the dress along the waist line in front so it would stay in place.

One last detail. The front opening should open wide enough to slip on over the head, but then if you find the front piece flapping and want to secure it, just sew a snap on to hold it in place.