Sgt. Pepper Tunic

 So unless you are new around here then you probably know I am a bit of a Beatles fan. Luckily so is my husband, hence the Beatle inspired names of our children. The Beatles had a lot of influence on music and fashion. Probably most in their Sgt. Pepper era with all that band/military styling. Clearly inspired by those styles I played around with some bias tape and made a sweet little top for KCWC. (initially it was a dress, but Abbey is not much of a dress girl and after the first fitting it got hacked into a top)

 Plus there is nothing sweeter than a little gingham, and navy green and white are always great together. So I did put together a tutorial of sorts… it’s pretty bad for some reason I just kept forgetting to stop and take pictures, so here is the best I could put together. I did make the dress fully lined (skirt and bodice) but I didn’t take very good pictures to show how so I will make another fully lined dress sometime and show you this super easy way to do it.

 1. I started by drafting a bodice and sleeve using this method I cut double of everything, and I made cuffs for the sleeves. (also not pictured the skirt pieces which were just rectangles 2.5 times the width of the bodice and then length I wanted)
2. I started by sewing loops of bias tape down to the front piece. I made each loop slightly shorter than the first. I sewed along the top and bottom of the bias tape to secure.
3. Then I added some buttons at each end only for decoration.
4. Then sew the front and back pieces together at the shoulder.
5. Gather the skirt piece and sew it to the bottom of the bodice, both front and back.
6.Then I added the zipper to the back, I used an invisible zipper. I also added the sleeves into the sleeve curve, but didn’t take a picture.
7. Then with front and back right sides together sew from the sleeve to the armpit and down the side. Then I did all the same steps from 4-7 for the lining. Then place the lining and outer layer right sides together.
8. Here is about where the pictures stopped, so try and stay with me. Sew the lining and outer pieces together along the neckline. Then turn the dress right side out. Fold the lining back edge in and then topstitch along the zipper edge. Sew right sides together the skirt pieces below the zipper so the back is sewn up. Then add the cuffs to the sleeve, how? Basically just like the cuffs from this top. The sleeves and cuffs are pretty much just like those, (my go to fall sleeve)  Oh then I hemmed the bottom of the top, (both layers) Did you follow that? Yeah I know pretty bad… but in general it’s a pretty basic top.

 And it was really easy to make and with the zipper it’s husband approved ha! I love buttons, my husband hates dressing her with buttons, but since there were buttons on the front I went with the ever pleasing zipper down the back.

 So this was it for my day two ok KCWC sewing. I love seeing the expanding fall wardrobe, time to work on Jude’s fall wardrobe a bit. (it needs some help)

Abbey was just thrilled with her new top, she was off twirling and jumping and spinning in no time. (kind of funny she is not a dress girl)
So what are you sewing up for KCWC?