Maxi dress

So today the sun was glorious, instead of siting in the garden like a normal person I decided to sit at my sewing machine, I just can't get enough of it at the moment, my daughter thinks I am crackers lol.

I bought this material with the intention of making a maxi dress, but I really wanted it to turn out OK so I really didn't want to use it straight away, even though I really wanted to!

It is gorgeous and I bought it from Groovy Funky Things

It is gorgeous and a fantastic price too, only £4 per metre.  I bought two metres and have enough left to probably do a little top (I am a size 12), lots of gorgeous material so make sure you check it out.

So this afternoon I set about making one, ta da ........

......I did it.  I think I need to take it up a little bit more, but I am so pleased with it.  It will be going in my suitcase ready for my holidays.

I did it...

So this morning I was up early to take my daughter to work, called at the haberdashery for elastic, then to my cousins to sort her wedding invitations (all sorted just need to make them now).

Afterwards it was home, quick tidy round and then out came the sewing machine.

I had some fabric so thought I would use that to test the shirring elastic.  After last nights failed attempt (I ran out of elastic) I managed to finish it.

The one thing I didn't do but I know to do next time is add a piece of normal elastic at the top as per this tutorial (which I didn't find to later when I asked for advice on facebook), and I thought I had googled for tutorials lots but never came across this one.

So basically all I did was measured my bust then multiply that figure by 1.5 then added 1" for seam allowance.  So for example 36" bust x 1.5 = 54" + 1" = 55".  Divide that by 2 so 55/2 = 27.5". So I cut two pieces of fabric 27.5" wide then how ever long you want your top to be mine was only 20" long as it was just a tester.

Hem the top then start shirring.  I did 20 rows of shirring.

This is what I ended up with (excuse the poor pictures, it was hard taking them myself lol), the top hem is a bit flatter to my chest now as that is where I added the extra elastic (after I took the pictures)

Not bad for my first attempt don't you think?  Even my daughter approves which is a miracle lol.

At the moment I am washing some fabric ready for tomorrow, now do I try make a skirt or a dress?  Watch this space

Thank you for reading x