DIY Midi Dresses

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Hi there, Happy Friday 🌸🌸 Today's update is about two new dresses that I made to wear on special outings. The sleeveless orange midi dress was made in October and the long-sleeved dress was made at the beginning of this month.  Both patterns were self-drafted, and the dresses had ruffles at the bottom tier. And to complete the look, I added a removable bow and pinned it to the neckline.  For the sleeveless midi dress, I used a linen blend fabric a souvenir from my trip to Bangkok and the fabric was enjoyable to sew. As usual, the sewing process started with pinning and sewing the darts and then attached the facings to the front and back pieces right sides together. I pinned it around and then sewed it, but I left a few centimeters open to sew the shoulder lines. I love this method, the finished facing looks clean and neat. I closed the opening area with hand sewing. I gathered the bottom tiers and then sewed them to...

Yellow Sweatshirt

Hello..
I made this sweatshirt especially to participate in Share In Style. But I am late again.. :( I supposed to publish it on Monday but I was so busy.

Share In Style theme for 16th March was "yellow" and I immediately think about my yellow knit fabric inside my stash that waiting for me to sew.
After looking for the right garment and pattern, I decided to make a basic wear which I need more to fill my wardrobe.
And for the pattern, I decided to use BurdaStyle but I skip the color block because I couldn't find the right fabric combination.

Pattern :
BurdaStyle Boatneck Sweatshirt 09/2014#114a  size 34. I have to grade down the pattern to size 34 because the minimum size of original pattern is 36. With the size of sleeve bands 17 cm length x 12  cm width - the final result 6 cm width of sleeve bands. And hem band 90 cm long x 12 cm width - the final result 6 cm width of hem band.

source from BurdaStyle
Materials:
2 yards of knit cotton in yellow color
Yellow thread
 

Sewing Process:
This is another easy project to make, my work started from sew the front and back sweatshirt at the shoulder right sides together. Then pin and sew both sides of the sweatshirt body right sides together. After that pin and sew the sleeves right sides together and attached them to the armholes. 

After the method above done, I tried the sweatshirt and it was too big at the sleeves and armholes. Also a little bit long at the sleeves and hem.
Then I reduced the amount of the sleeve 2.5 cm in both sides and created a new line down to the waist.
Reduced the length of the sleeves 2.5 cm and the hem 5 cm.

After my work on reducing the amount of the sleeves and hem done, I change my sewing machine needle from blue point needle to twin needle. Set up the threads and sew the neckline, sleeve bands and hem band.
The only tricky part was sew the bands. The picture below show you what I did on the sleeve band. Firstly, I fold the band wrong side together, divine the size in four and marked each of them. I did the same way on the sleeve too.
After that, I attached the band to the sleeve and matched the pins. Then sew it using twin needle. I pull the fabric in between sewing them.
I did the same way for the hem band. After that, I sew all the raw edges using an overlocker sewing machine.

The pictures below show you the result of the sweatshirt, front and back views. And wrong side of front view which you can see the detail of my work on the bands.



And I did an extra work on the sweatshirt, I sew bra straps holders in both shoulders. I remember that one of my sewing friend Ellen from BurdaStyle community did this in one of her garment but I think she used elastic.
After searching in some other blogs, I found an easy tutorial how to do it. You can watch this video for the detail, Sally Ann : how to sew a bra strap holder

Here is one of my bra strap holder, I am very happy with the result and it is really a great way to avoid bra strap from showing.

And here are more pictures of me wearing my new sweatshirt, front - side and back views



 
Until next..

Comments

  1. WOW! This shade of yellow is gorgeous for you Hana! I know it's a sweatshirt, but it's very, very pretty!

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    1. Thank you, Sue. I know that yellow will be the big winner over the roomy sweatshirt :D

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  2. I'm glad you stuck to a plain colour - especially this yellow - it's so cheerful . I loved seeing inside your sweatshirt - some seams you seem to overlock, some zig zag along the edge. I find that I have to use different stitches and techniques for different parts of my knit garments as well. I like your bra strap holders; you can also make them from bits of ribbon.

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    1. Thank you, Sarah Liz. I knew you did that too and different stitches made sewing process easier, isn't it ? I will try using a bits of ribbon for the next garment :)

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  3. Lovely cheerful colour. I like the idea of adding bra strap holders I would never have thought of adding them to a sweatshirt.

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    1. Thank you, Tracy. I only saw bra strap holders on the Runway show and I never thought of adding them to a sweatshirt too :)

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  4. This colour lights your face. Beautiful!

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  5. OMG! Dear Hana, you look like an eternal adolescent and this beautiful sweatshirt accentuates the effect. I thought it was a beautiful sweatshirt when I saw the pictures, and then I saw the photo of the fabric closer when you show the idea to not show her bra and then I completely fell in love with this fabric, great job !! Thanks for joining this fun family SIS again !! Lots of kisses from the Canary Islands.

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  6. I love the vibrant colour of your blouse and the bra strap holder is a great idea! I'll copycat this to my dresses. *^v^*

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    1. Thank you and you are welcome to copycat the idea :)

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  7. That is a gorgeous color on you! You updated the lowly sweatshirt to a classy casual top! I also enjoyed all the photos and information you shared, especially the little bra strap holder. So many tops seem to either have a boatneck or simply a wider neckline that slips and slides and your bra strap holders are a terrific idea! I will also be copying that!

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    1. Thank you, Lisa. The bra strap holder is really great and very useful. I am sure you will love it :)

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  8. That gorgeous colour suits you so well and the boat neck makes the top a little different to the usual sweatshirt. Bra strap holders are a great idea, too.

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    1. Thank you, Kathy. I think boatneck style is much nicer than the usual one :)

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  9. Hana you look amazing in that color. The bra strap holders are such a delicious idea! Kudos.

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  10. What a beautiful colour for spring and it so suits you also. Love the bra strap idea too :)x

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  11. I agree with everyone that this color is fabulous on you! So comfy and pretty!

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  12. And I agree with previous comments! :) Very positive color and suit you! Love it!

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