My very first tutorial/ Shirred dress

I have never done a tutorial on sewing since I started sewing last year, only now.  It has dawned on me that I feel I am learning so much by doing, that I never got to document every single project I have done so many times, and have nothing to look back on.  The thing is, really, I have so many reservations on writing, let alone doing tutorials for the very reason that English is not my first language, living in an English speaking country fearing I might get lost in translation.  Well, what do they say about there is always a first time for everything.  Here we go then.  Wait.  There are hundreds of technical terms about sewing, and because I never really had a formal training on sewing aside from lessons I got way back in high school, please pardon my very limited knowledge.  What I will lack on that, I will make up on photos I will post with it.  And again, pardon the photos, it was taken by my humble windows phone at evening when everyone at home is sleeping where nobody can disturb this mommy.  So much for apologies, haha.

Well, I used a knit pale pink that I thrifted from an opshop.  Take a shirt or dress that fits your daughter, in my case I used a size 2T and just added 4 inches to lengthen and allow half an inch for the hem.  Trace the shirt and dont forget to put half an inch allowance for the seams.  You can use a dressmaker's rule to perfect your sleeve's curve, if youre not that fussy, then just eyeball it and go ahead.  

Then voila, you have a pattern. And because I never liked the time spent reading a pattern, I resorted to just tracing old clothes for clothes I make.

Cut two of the pattern pieces, and remember cut them on fold for the front and back parts.  Then cut two  15" by  1'1/2" from a ribbing material to use as a bias for arms.

Sew side seams on both sides,  right sides together.



Serge the seams, to avoid it from falling apart, or zigzag it if you don't have such machine.

Then hem the uppermost part of the top that covers the chest.  I used a 1/4" seam.

Use the ribbing material to bind the arms on both sides making sure the ribbing is in excess on the top most part for the straps.

 Wind your bobbin with elastic thread for shirring.

 Start from side of the arm sides making sure not to sew through the ribbing.

 You have finished a shirred dress.  I added a heart detail because I couldn't do away with hearts these days, what with the Valentines coming very soon.  I made some more for my daughter, this time a stretchy striped knit, using the same purple ribbing for the arms.

Yes, that is my 16 month old Savannah.  You must have noticed the hat, that will be my next tutorial.  If you have questions, you can ask me for details.  If you do post this tutorial in your pages, please dont forget to link my page.  Thanks.  Enjoy sewing!