Endless Dress Sew Along Day 1

Endless Dress Sew Along Day 1

Easter is already upon us.  Though the Endless Dress can be used for any occasion,  I am making it for an Easter Dress this year.  There are so many variations of this dress that I cannot begin to  lead a sew along with all of the options available.  So, we begin Day 1 by making a choice on the type of dress and embellishments that strike your fancy.  You will need to choose:  a bodice length, skirt length, sleeve type, collar and embellishments(bib front, sash, band, appliqué, bow, etc.).  If your "little" is anything like mine, she will need to be involved in the process so it will actually be worn.  How do they have such opinions at 4 years old????  

Here are some things you will need for this sew along:

• Endless Dress Pattern printed, taped together and cut to the desired size
• coordinating fabrics (I used 3 fabrics)
• buttons
• interfacing (for buttonholes)

My choices for the Endless Dress and embellishments:

• Circle Flounce Dress Bodice (it is very similar to the Endless Dress bodice but it has straps)
• Empire waist (The Circle Flounce Dress bodice is empire waist)
• Pockets
• Coordinating sash without a tie (my "little" hates a tie in the back!)
• Banded knee length skirt (be sure to use the measurements from the add on pack for the skirt and band length and width)

I know what you are thinking -- I don't want to make the Circle Flounce Dress bodice, I want to make the Endless Dress bodice!  No worries!  I will also include instructions for the sleeveless Endless Dress bodice, just for you.

Once you have figured out the dress you want to make, cut out all pattern pieces.  You should have a pile of pattern pieces similar to the picture below.  You can see the straps, bodice front and back, sash, skirt and skirt band.  (I should have pocket pieces in the picture also.  Oops!)

If you are like me, it took quite a while to figure out exactly what version of the dress to make (and I probably changed my mind no less than 10 times!).   As we start tomorrow, you will need all pattern pieces cut and be ready to work on the bodice construction.

Sew Along Schedule:

Day 1:  Decide on dress specifics/embellishments and cut pattern pieces
Day 2:  Bodice construction with sash
Day 3:  Buttonholes, buttons, skirt and pockets
Day 4:  Skirt band and finishing
Day 5:  Share pictures of finished dress

I cannot wait to see how you are progressing in this sew along.  Be sure to share your pictures with me on our Facebook sewing group page here.  I love to hear from you so be sure to ask questions and give me feedback.  I will see you right back here tomorrow for Day 2, when we really get down to business.  Y'all are awesome!

April Fool!

April Fool's Day!

Do you play April Fool's Day jokes at your house?  I'm not one to play a joke on a regular basis but sometimes it's fun.  Growing up, my dad loved April Fool's Day.  He relished in running to our rooms yelling it was snowing (I grew up in Texas); there was a white horse outside my window; or we didn't have to go to school that day.    I remember that feeling of being so excited to see the snow outside, and then terribly disappointed when he yelled April Fool!  The funny thing, he got me EVERY year.  There was never any warning that April Fool's Day was coming soon--it always snuck up on me.  

This year it might be fun to play a little April Fool's Day joke on your kids.  I've thought about taping newspaper over the kids' bedroom doors so they have to crash through to get out of the rooms.  You could fill his room with balloons just for fun.  It might be fun to hang streamers in the doorway so she gets to come through the streamers as she enters and leaves a room.  I'm really not one for mean jokes, so you'll have to come up with those on your own.

How about a fun little joke that will be a big surprise?  Fill your child's lunchbox with fake food.  When he opens it up, he won't know what to think.  You can leave a little note to tell him where to find the real lunch or to buy his lunch.  Imagine how surprised he will be and how much fun he will have showing the fake food to his friends.

And here is a great April Fool's day surprise!  Enter the code "april fool" for 25% off your cart at www.jocole.net on April 1, 2014 beginning at 12:01am and ending at 11:59pm (pst).  Hurry!  Fill up that cart and get a great discount!!!

Cuff Tutorial

Adding a Cuff to The Quick Dress

A Tutorial

Take two measurements:  

1.  Measure the length of the sleeve 2 inches shorter than the pattern calls.  

2.  Measure the bottom edge of the sleeve.

Cut two strips that are 5" tall by width of sleeve.  So you will have two strips that are 5inches tall and as wide as the bottom edge of the sleeve.

Fold cuff in half lengthwise with right sides together.

Stitch short sides together with a 3/8" seam allowance.  You now have one open edge, one folded edge and two short sides sewn together.

Turn right sides out and be sure to push out edges.  Press well, setting seams exactly on the edges.

Attach sleeve to the Quick Dress and sew underarm/side seams together.  The bottom edge of the sleeve is still raw.

Attach cuff to the edge of the sleeve, right sides together, using a 3/8" seam allowance.   The opening of the cuff should be at the outside of the sleeve.

Finish the raw edge of the cuff and sleeve.

Turn right side out and topstitch.

Happy sewing!

Sash Tutorial

Sash Tutorial

Belt Sash

Make a sash to fit the Essential Pants from Jocole.

Choose the appropriate size sash.  Cut fabric to required measurements.  To make a bow sash, cut 2 fabric pieces or double the length.

Fold sash in half.

Stitch together one short side and length of the sash.

Using a dowel, push fabric through to turn.

Iron sash.  Turn short end in to create a finished edge.

Topstitch to close opening and finish.

Add the sash to your project!

Jocole Essential Pants Sew Along Day 4

Essential Pants Sew Along

Day 4

You almost have a new pair of pants for your "little".  Yay!  Let's get this party started.

Begin by making the casing for the elastic.  Topstitch the waistband just below the top edge.  

Add a second row of stitching to make a casing for the elastic.  Measure down from the top edge and sew again.    

Be sure to leave a small opening to insert elastic.

 I am attaching belt loops to my shorts, this step is optional.  Belt loop instructions are found here.  

Attach the belt loops to the pants .  Attach at the top and bottom of each belt loop.  Be careful if you have pinned the belt loops on, don't catch the pin in your machine.

Using a Bodkin or safety pin, insert elastic into casing.  Thread elastic all the way through the casing until it comes out the opposite end.  

Secure both ends of the elastic together.  I like to sew a square with a "X" in the center.

Close up the hole that was left for the elastic.  And now, you are FINISHED!  Congratulations!  I hope your "little" enjoys the pants (capris or shorts) as much as mine does.

If you would like to make a sash for the Essential Pants, find instructions here.

Jocole Essential Pants Sew Along Day 3

Essential Pants Sew Along

Day 3

Yesterday we worked on pockets and side seams. Today we are working on the hems, waistband and crotch.  Here we go.....

Serge or zig zag stitch at the waist and leg hem.  Iron the waistband and hemline, but do not sew.   If you don't have a hem guide, you should make one.  I made mine by marking lines at typical hemming lengths, from some old thick paper I had.

We are going to take a slight deviation from the pattern instructions.  You can follow the directions in the pattern if you prefer that method, this is just a different way to sew pants.  Line up the two leg panels at the crotch line, right sides together.  The two front panels and the two back panels line up to each other.

Sew both crotch seams together, the picture above and below show the front and back crotch.  Serge or finish.  Now we have two panels, right sides together, sewn at the crotch and back seam.  

Now is a great time to topstitch the back seam.  

 Now that you have the pants looking more like actual pants, we are going to sew up the legs.  Line up the front of the pants and the back of the pants, right sides together.  Pin the legs together so your pants look complete.  Sew and finish the seam.  Your pants should look like the picture below, both pockets on the rear of the pants.

Topstitch the bottom hem of the pants legs.  I hope I didn't royally confuse you.  If you have questions, let me know.

Jocole Essential Pants Sew Along Day 2

Jocole Essential Pants Sew Along

Day 2

We're starting out the day with these things on hand:

• Pants front and back

• Pockets (front and back)

Here we go!  We'll start with the Optional Pocket Instructions.  Finish the edges of the pockets by serging or zig zag stitching.  Iron the top edge under at 5/8in and the side and bottom edges 3/8in.

Topstitch the top fold of the pocket.  I chose to use a twin needle, but one line of stitching is just fine.  I knew that I wanted to do most of the topstitching with a twin needle(and let's face it, I get really excited when I get to use a twin needle.  I know, once again you think I'm weird!).

Here is where the marks from the pattern come in handy.  Line up the corners of the pocket right at the marks on the pants back pieces.  Pin the pockets in place.

Stitch the pockets in place.  I used a twin needle(bwahahaha) to stitch down the pockets.  Cute, huh!  It looks like the pocket is crooked but it's supposed to be that way.

Line up the front and back pieces at the side seam, opposite of the crotch side.  Pin. (I know there are some people that HATE to pin, so that's totally up to you.  Don't tell, but I rarely pin.  The only time I pin is when I have to be really careful about lining up fabric.)

Finish the side seams.  If you don't have a serger, it is always acceptable to zig zag stitch the seams.

Open up the pants and iron the seam flat.  I also topstitched the seam(with a twin needle, ha ha!), that is totally optional.  Below, both panels are showing the topstitching.  I also made the front pockets, again optional.  I played around and made the pockets functional instead of faux pockets.   After I spent time banging my head against my sewing table about the stupid pockets, Jodi made a pattern and I wrote some instructions for the Inset Pockets.  Awesome! It was soooo much easier than I was trying to make it!

That's all I have for today!  Let me know if you have any questions.  Get ready for tomorrow, we're ironing and working on the crotch.  I'm showing an alternative to the pattern for sewing the pant legs, so don't miss it!