body { background:#fff url("http://www.blogblog.com/dots/bg_dots.gif") 50% 0; margin:0; padding:0 10px; text-align:center; font:x-small Verdana,Arial,Sans-serif; color:#333; font-size/* */:/**/small; font-size: /**/small; } /* Page Structure ----------------------------------------------- */ @media all { #content { background:url("http://www.blogblog.com/dots/bg_3dots.gif") no-repeat 250px 50px; width:700px; margin:0 auto; padding:50px 0; text-align:left; } #main { width:450px; float:right; padding:50px 0 20px; font-size:85%; } #main2 { background:url("http://www.blogblog.com/dots/bg_dots2.gif") -100px -100px; padding:20px 10px 15px; } #sidebar { width:200px; float:left; font-size:85%; padding-bottom:20px; } #sidebar2 { background:url("http://www.blogblog.com/dots/bg_dots2.gif") 150px -50px; padding:5px 10px 15px; width:200px; width/* */:/**/180px; width: /**/180px; } } @media handheld { #content { width:90%; } #main { width:100%; float:none; } #sidebar { width:100%; float:none; } #sidebar2 { width:100%; } } html>body #main, html>body #sidebar { /* We only give this fade from white to nothing to browsers that can handle 24-bit transparent PNGs */ background/* */:/**/url("http://www.blogblog.com/dots/bg_white_fade.png") repeat-x left bottom; } /* Title & Description ----------------------------------------------- */ @media all { #blog-title { margin:0 0 .5em; font:250%/1.4em Georgia,Serif; color:#353; } #blog-title a { color:#353; text-decoration:none; } #description { margin:0 0 1.75em; color:#996; } #blog-mobile-title { display:none; } #description-mobile { display:none; } } @media handheld { #blog-title { display:none; } #description { display:none; } #blog-mobile-title { display:block; margin:0 0 .5em; font:250%/1.4em Georgia,Serif; color:#353; } #blog-mobile-title a { color:#353; text-decoration:none; } #description-mobile { display:block; margin:0 0 1.75em; color:#996; } } /* Links ----------------------------------------------- */ a:link { color:#488; } a:visited { color:#885; } a:hover { color:#000; } a img { border-width:0; } /* Posts ----------------------------------------------- */ .date-header { margin:0 0 .75em; padding-bottom:.35em; border-bottom:1px dotted #9b9; font:95%/1.4em Georgia,Serif; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:.3em; color:#663; } .post { margin:0 0 2.5em; line-height:1.6em; } .post-title { margin:.25em 0; font:bold 130%/1.4em Georgia,Serif; color:#333; } .post-title a, .post-title strong { background:url("http://www.blogblog.com/dots/bg_post_title.gif") no-repeat 0 .25em; display:block; color:#333; text-decoration:none; padding:0 0 1px 45px; } .post-title a:hover { color:#000; } .post p { margin:0 0 .75em; } p.post-footer { margin:0; text-align:right; } p.post-footer em { display:block; float:left; text-align:left; font-style:normal; color:#996; } a.comment-link { /* IE5.0/Win doesn't apply padding to inline elements, so we hide these two declarations from it */ background/* */:/**/url("http://www.blogblog.com/dots/icon_comment.gif") no-repeat 0 .25em; padding-left:15px; } html>body a.comment-link { /* Respecified, for IE5/Mac's benefit */ background:url("http://www.blogblog.com/dots/icon_comment.gif") no-repeat 0 .25em; padding-left:15px; } .post img { margin:0 0 5px 0; padding:4px; border:1px solid #cca; } /* Comments ----------------------------------------------- */ #comments { margin:0; } #comments h4 { margin:0 0 10px; border-top:1px dotted #9b9; padding-top:.5em; font:bold 110%/1.4em Georgia,Serif; color:#333; } #comments-block { line-height:1.6em; } .comment-poster { background:url("http://www.blogblog.com/dots/icon_comment.gif") no-repeat 2px .35em; margin:.5em 0 0; padding:0 0 0 20px; font-weight:bold; } .comment-body { margin:0; padding:0 0 0 20px; } .comment-body p { margin:0 0 .5em; } .comment-timestamp { margin:0 0 .5em; padding:0 0 .75em 20px; color:#996; } .comment-timestamp a:link { color:#996; } .deleted-comment { font-style:italic; color:gray; } .paging-control-container { float: right; margin: 0px 6px 0px 0px; font-size: 80%; } .unneeded-paging-control { visibility: hidden; } /* More Sidebar Content ----------------------------------------------- */ .sidebar-title { margin:2em 0 .75em; padding-bottom:.35em; border-bottom:1px dotted #9b9; font:95%/1.4em Georgia,Serif; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:.3em; color:#663; } #sidebar p { margin:0 0 .75em; line-height:1.6em; } #sidebar ul { margin:.5em 0 1em; padding:0 0px; list-style:none; line-height:1.5em; } #sidebar ul li { background:url("http://www.blogblog.com/dots/bullet.gif") no-repeat 3px .45em; margin:0; padding:0 0 5px 15px; } #sidebar p { margin:0 0 .6em; } /* Profile ----------------------------------------------- */ .profile-datablock { margin:0 0 1em; } .profile-img { display:inline; } .profile-img img { float:left; margin:0 8px 5px 0; border:4px solid #cc9; } .profile-data { margin:0; line-height:1.5em; } .profile-data strong { display:block; } .profile-textblock { clear:left; } /* Footer ----------------------------------------------- */ #footer { clear:both; padding:15px 0 0; } #footer hr { display:none; } #footer p { margin:0; } /* Feeds ----------------------------------------------- */ #blogfeeds { } #postfeeds { padding-left: 20px }

Prudent Baby

Get sewing how to, sewing tutorials, and sewing help to learn sewing. We offer sewing tutorial for sewing moms.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Freestyle Hot Mess Mommy Dress



So I found this fabric on ultra clearance at Joanne's and I thought it could be pretty fabulous.  I was in the mood to sew while little S was napping but didn't have a pattern so I just started cutting and sewing and this is what I came up with.  Note my husband's mad picture taking skills that created a shadow to make me look ten pounds thinner then I have in years.  Love him.

I don't have a full DIY but I did draw out a pattern of sorts if this seems like your kind of dress.  It's just really fun to kind of go at sewing freestyle and see what you come up with.  Get the details after the jump...

And thanks for the post Craft Gossip!

I grabbed a dress that I liked the length of and a shirt i liked the sleeves on and laid them on my fabric and cut generously around the shape.


Here are the pattern pieces I used:


So that ended up way huge but I didn't want to make zippers or anything, so i made some pleats in the back piece.  I folded over the top edge twice, ironed, then pinned pleats in and sewed in place with a straight stitch:


I hemmed the top edge of the front and decided to leave the neckline drapey.  I lined up the front and back so the sleeves matched and sewed them together at the shoulders like so:

I also sewed them together under the armhole to the waist.

Then for the booty area I took two pieces of fabric with the pattern facing the opposite direction and sewed them together, then to the side edges of the front.  Then i gathered the bottom of the back piece, pinned it to the booty piece and sewed it together (with the dress inside out of course):


Then i flipped it over and hemmed the sleeves.  So in the end the pieces go together like this:


I think it turned out pretty fun!  If you give this dress a try (or any freestyle dress) YOU HAVE TO SEND ME A PICTURE!  ok thank you.

Labels: , , , , ,

12 Comments:

Blogger ErikaKay said...

This is why I want to start sewing!!!! It looks fabulous! Great job!

January 7, 2010 at 5:42 AM  
Blogger Jacinda said...

You are so Project Runway, just making up patterns. It's gorgeous! And tell Carleton Curtis that I love how the tangerines coordinate with the dress. He has mad photography skilz.

January 7, 2010 at 8:10 AM  
Blogger Jacinda said...

PS. Maybe this will inspire me to get up the nerve to open my new Christmas sewing machine. Is it normal that I'm afraid of it?

January 7, 2010 at 8:11 AM  
Blogger Tina said...

I love it! Especially the back. And your husband's mad photography!
I got a sewing machine for Christmas. First up is making window panels out of the lovely fabric I got almost a year ago & is just hanging there. Next up: all these fabulous ideas you've got!

January 7, 2010 at 8:15 AM  
Blogger Jaime said...

jacinda maybe it is because i have the "project runway edition" sewing machine. if it makes you feel better i didnt open my serger for three months but within two hours i conquered it. open that machine!!! the only thing you have to fear is the isolation your newfound love for sewing will wreak upon your children

January 7, 2010 at 9:32 AM  
Blogger Mrs B said...

ooooo....i am so in love with this dress although i would probably make it a bit shorter ie: long shirt that i could wear with jeans and my cowboy boots :) Thanks for the endless great ideas

January 7, 2010 at 11:04 AM  
Blogger Jaimie said...

This is a great dress. I love off the shoulder. love. Maybe one day I will be this talented..

January 7, 2010 at 11:43 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

hmm, make me one.

January 7, 2010 at 12:09 PM  
Blogger Anne said...

Tell your husband to come teach my husband how to take pictures. PLEASE!! My hubby's photos always give me an extra 15 pound and three chins. Love the dress! I featured it at Craft Gossip Sewing:

http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-simple-tunic-with-pleated-back-detail/2010/01/07/

--Anne

January 7, 2010 at 6:29 PM  
Blogger Anne said...

forgot to say that the link in my previous comment is scheduled to go live at 9:30pm CST.

--Anne

January 7, 2010 at 6:30 PM  
Anonymous Nancy said...

Julie Andrews would be proud. I mean this in a good way. " Now it would really cute to see a tiny version for Scarlet. Really cute.

January 16, 2010 at 5:29 AM  
Blogger zura Lagarde said...

I need to tell u that I have 2 days dreaming with this dress! I want it.... And I don't even have a sewing machine! I love it

October 7, 2010 at 8:44 AM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home