My mother asked found a "NewLook" pattern she liked and asked me to make her a couple dresses. We went and found enough fabric to make two A-line dresses; one black textured fabric and one brown shiny lined rayon fabric. (4 Yards of Fabric for each.) We measured her and I cut out the pattern. She wanted the waist line 2 inches longer as she is 5'10" and needs the added length in the waist, so I folded the fabric 2 inches wherever the pattern showed the waist. I cut out the 6 dress panels and 6 neck and arm lining sections. The pattern called for a 5/8 seam allowance. I cut the fusible interfacing and ironed the neck and arm pieces.
I started stitching the black dress first. After getting the 6 main panels together with the tie, I had my mother come and try it on...WAY to Tight. So...The pattern runs small. Since I had already cut out the brown fabric, I stitched the 6 panels together using a very narrow serged edge seam. After trying this on...It fit perfectly.
Now....What to do with the black? I couldn't take out the seams as I had already trimmed the darts in the breast and back and the black fabric kind of hid the thread. So....I cut two 2.75 inch width panels to stitch into the side seams I cut away. I stitched them in the gap I had opened. I cut a a matching piece with interfacing to insert under each arm for the lining. I had my mother try it on again!!! Yay!!! It worked.
I did need to narrow the stitching for the darts in the brown dress to compensate for the narrower seams in order to attach the lining for the sleeves. My mother had me cut 8-9 inches off the bottom to make the dress fall just below the knee. I stitched a basting stitch around the bottom of the skirt and folding it up and hemmed the dress by hand to make it lay flat. Over all, I think my mother was pleased with her 2 nice new dresses.
Costs: about $20-25 per dress for fabric as the fabric was on sale. $3 for the thread. (I already had the interfacing.)
~Sarah
P.S....I think the jacket will be a project this spring.
