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Story by
mtraub
Published on August 11, 2009 in How-To |
Photo by |
I particularly love craft passed down through generations; every time I use my grandmother's heavy green metal sewing machine, I imagine channeling the DIY genes through my fingertips. Heather Ross's vibrant book, Weekend Sewing, not only inspires blissful projects like hostess aprons, garden gloves, and baby bloomers, but it also focuses on taking time out of the daily grind to relish the simple joys of sewing. For this week's How-Tuesday project, we're sharing Heather's Smocked Sundress along with some useful tips for sewing with children. You can download the PDF here or follow along below, courtesy of STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book.
As a child, I lived with my mom and twin sister in a one-room schoolhouse in the mountains of Northern Vermont. My daily routine was guided by the light and the seasons because — aside from school — there really was nowhere else to be. Our property was bordered by a rushing river that tumbled into a tall waterfall and ended in a deep and perfect swimming hole. Whenever we could, my sister and I would swim and explore the woods and orchards around our house, but when the long, dark winters drove us inside, we would spend countless hours executing elaborate craft projects.
These days, I live in New York City, a place that is ruled by the clock. My life as an artist and designer of fabric and clothing requires me to be accessible, punctual, and dressed appropriately (which means shoes, even in the summertime!). From Monday morning through Friday afternoon, my life is generally about deadlines and timelines and bottom lines. Often, it is only during weekends and holidays — and those few work days when I sneak away and play hooky — that I can take time out to sew for pure pleasure. I think of this as "weekend sewing." Logical as it may seem, for me weekend sewing is not limited to Saturday and Sunday. Rather, I consider it to be any time I am able to immerse so fully in the joy of sewing that I lose track of time and even myself, just like I did as a child. It is my hope that with Weekend Sewing, this book, I will inspire you to steal some time from your busy life for this simple joy — whether sewing for you is a newfound passion or a lifelong friend.
Sewing with Children
In my home studio, I keep a small basket filled with wool scraps, buttons, and various trims. If young guests express an interest in sewing, I help them make a small stuffed toy to take home.
Children aged 5 and up can learn the basics of sewing using simplified tools: try threading embroidery thread through the large eye of a plastic children's sewing needle (these are not too sharp and are easy for small hands to grasp), and practice making simple stitches together on scraps cut from an old sweater. When a child has mastered a basic running stitch and expresses a desire to sew seams more quickly than can be managed by hand, they are ready to be introduced to a sewing machine.
In recent years, a good number of children's sewing machines have become available. Try www.hearthsong.com for wonderful new sewing machines (not toys; these are real machines!) and projects designed for kids. Many people collect vintage children's sewing machines, which are beautiful and fun to use. Some of these vintage machines are operated by hand crank, which can be a bit tedious but gives good control over speed. It can be fun to work together on a hand-crank machine, with one person cranking the wheel while the other guides the fabric.
My students at Purl Patchwork in New York City love this dress, in part, I'm sure, because it only takes an hour or so to make. (I actually whipped one up on the morning of my wedding for my cousin's daughter to wear as my flower girl.) The real beauty of this dress is its shape and fit. It's a great summer standby — casual made in quilting cotton and a little dressier made in linen or printed chiffon. It will fit for more summers than most cotton dresses, due to its stretchy nature and the fact that, in a pinch, it can work as a skirt. You can also extend its life by making it with shoulder straps that tie and can be easily adjusted or by leaving off the straps on the back of this dress, then tying the front straps, halter-style, around the wearer's neck.
Finished Dimensions
Fits 12 months-size 4 (instructions are given for 12-month size, with measurements for size 4 included in parentheses)
Materials
3/4 yard of 45"-wide quilting cotton or lightweight woven fabric, pre-washed (fabric should be lightweight enough to yield to elastic thread)
All-purpose thread to match fabric
Elastic thread wound around an extra bobbin
Water-soluble fabric-marking pen
Transparent quilter's ruler or straightedge
Measuring tape
2 yards of spaghetti strap, bias tape (sewn closed), or ribbon for ties, cut into four equal lengths
Sewing Instructions
1. Press Fabric's Top Edge
With the fabric wrong side up, turn and press the top raw edge 1/4" to the wrong side, and then turn and press this edge again 1/4" to the wrong side. Do not sew this folded edge yet; the pressed lines will be important guides later on. Unfold this edge, and lay the fabric flat.
2. Mark Smocking Lines
With the fabric right side up, use the water-soluble pen and the quilter's ruler or straightedge to draw six (eight) straight lines, each 1/2" apart, across the fabric's width, beginning 1" below the fabric's top edge.
3. Sew Smocking
With elastic thread in your bobbin and the fabric right side up, sew along your marked lines to create six (eight) rows of elasticized smocking. Backstitch or lockstitch at the beginning and end of each row to secure the stitching, and cut the thread before starting each new row. Now you have a panel with elastic smocking across the top.
4. Measure and Trim Smocked Panel
Using a spray bottle filled with water, generously dampen your "smocked" stitches. With a very hot iron set on steam and cotton, press the smocked area flat. You'll notice that the elastic "shrinks up" nicely and that your water-soluble pen marks disappear.
Using a measuring tape, take the chest measurement of the child you're sewing for, and with a water-soluble marker, mark the line from top of dress to hem. Before cutting the panel, secure the elastic threads by stitching across them at your chest measurement with a short, closely spaced straight stitch. Then trim off the marked, excess portion of your panel.
5. Sew and Turn Smocked Panel
Fold the smocked panel with the fabric's right sides together, align the cut edges, and sew these edges together with a medium-width and -length zigzag stitch.
Turn panel right side out, press seam flat (with the seam allowances pressed to one side), and topstitch the seam allowances in place by stitching 1/4" from the seam. This seam now marks the center back of your dress.
6. Mark Strap Positions
Without stretching the smocking, measure 2" from the center-back seam in each direction, and mark these two points with your water-soluble pen. Then measure 6" from each marked point toward the center front of the dress, and mark two more points. These points mark where you'll attach the sundress's four straps.
Turn under the dress's top edge along the pressed creases, tucking the end of one strap underneath the folded edge at each marked point. Fold each strap up, as shown, and press the strap in place before edge-stitching the entire folded edge and the straps in place. Knot the other end of the straps to finish them.
7. Hem Dress
Determine the dress's hem length by measuring the wearer from her underarm to just below her knee, and add 1" to this measurement for the hem itself. Measure and trim the dress to this length. Turn and press the dress's bottom raw edge 1/4" to the wrong side, and then turn and press this edge again, this time 3/4" to the wrong side. Finally edge-stitch the double-fold to finish your hem, backstitching at the beginning and end of your stitching.
Think this dress would be just as cute for Mom? Find the adult version of this pattern on Heather's blog! Thanks to Heather Ross and the good folks at Stewart Tabori & Chang for sharing this project with us.
More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide
| Tags | books, children, clothing, crafting, DIY, dress, fabric, Handmade Kids, Heather Ross, How-To, HOW-TO, How-Tuesday, pattern, project, sewing, Stewart Tabori & Chang, supplies, tutorial, Weekend Sewing |
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88 comments Login to add your own!
lilworkerb
Oh so that's how they do it! I can't wait to try this! Love it!
frogsandflowers
I use Elastic thread for a LOT of my little girl designs!! I love that stuff. Great finds!
aprilmist
What an adorable sundress! Reminds me of my memories of making dresses with my mom, er actually "helping" her make a dress for me!
workingforpeanuts
lherlihy
I have made a couple of dresses from this pattern and it's great! I have moved on to making fanciful skirts combining prints. Such fun!!!
LemonCadet
I just bought this book and still have the Martha Stewart episode with Heather Ross saved on my DVR. I love the fabric you chose! I can't wait to make some of these for my little girl.
BabbidgePatch
RomeoandMae
vintagehomerecycled
What a great little dress, elastic thread is a miracle.
MeadowbelleMarket
Wow, Heather is amazing! Who else would have the nerves & patience to 'whip up' a dress on the morning of their wedding?!?!? Never mind that the dress project supposedly doesn't take much time...
pandawithcookie
peonylovespink
I loved looking through this book. It's got so many great designs. Stuff I'd really want to wear. I'm gonna try to make this little dress as soon as I can get some cute fabric!
MeadowbelleMarket
Okay, seriously -- I can't get over making a dress on the morning of the wedding. I think the antectode needs to come with some sort of warning that Heather is a professional and should NOT be attempted at home.
VintageTwenty
AWESOME article and cute little smocked sundress instructions! I especially identify with crafts passed down through the generations and had to smile at the description of dressing appropriately meaning to wear shoes. I am going to stock a sewing learning basket and get my little visitors threading and stitching.
foamywader
VixVintage
busterandboo
MarmaladyAllsorts
Actually this is not a traditional smocked sundress but a shirred sundress - the fullness of the garmet being held by rows of stitches done with elastic thread or "shirring elastic"
Proper smocking is done by sewing several rows of gathering stitches on the wrong side of the material which are pulled up to form pleats. These pleats are then held in place by decorative embroidery done on the right side of the garment.
It is yet another example of a dying traditional craft.
ChloesRuffleButt
EJPcreations
HoneysuckleLane
How wonderful! I've never tried smocking but think I'll give it a try soon!
blueberryshoes
baconsquarefarm
Oh what pleasant memories you described of your childhood growing up, I could see you and your sister swimming and exploring the woods. Thanks for the word picture.
Thanks for sharing instructions for this sundress as well and off to check out weekend sewing.
breadandroses2
Wonderful article! So happy to see others encouraging children to learn hand sewing. Children even younger than five can learn the rudiments of sewing with a cardboard 'needle', yarn and cardboard with holes punched around a simple drawing. It's fun!
Marmalady is correct: shown is a shirred dress. My mother made the beautiful hand smocked dresses for me when I was a child. Even though they were considered rather old fashioned at the time, I loved wearing them. They were so special.
beautifulbridget
bananaicecream
LOL Marmalady, I was just about to say the same thing. This is a common mistake. This is not actually a smocked dress, but a shirred dress.
BranchandBirdie
I've been dying to make this very dress! Almost bought the book- wow now I have the instructions right here!
Thank you!!!
patspottery
Laniec1
Thanks for the help, just another project to add to the never ending list! :)
chelseasroom
gotta try this! I learn to sew from my mom... love the article!
Fairyfolk
Such a gorgeous photo of mother and child!!
Wonderful article... I had a very crafty granny and I wish I had learnt all she had to pass on... alas I was too young. She would be proud of my now... Etsy would have been her dream!
Blessings and magic.
PipocaHandmade
shopgoodgrace
oh - I love, love, LOVE smocking!! Thanks for this how to!! (just tweeted it, too!)
1AEON
instantcrimson
Scallyrags
wow this is super cute, I'm going to make one for my little friend!
moonflystudio
HideABook
So cute, but what they don't tell you is that many modern sewing machines don't work with elastic thread (which is key to making the shirring).
babinka1981
KateEmersonDesigns
Agree HideABook... I love this tutorial too but couldn't get it to work for the Life of me.. So A tip.. I was advised to uses a cording foot and just held the Elastic. It worked!
difart
tortillagirl
Smocking is not an incorrect term, although "elastic smocking" could better define it. Smocking is the gathering of fabric via embroidery to make it stretchy. Traditionally elastic thread wasn't used because elastic is a modern fiber. But using elastic thread achieves the same thing.
Shirring does not better define it. Shirring does not mean that it's elasticized; shirring is the gathering of pleats and then fixing those pleats down by sewing a band or other foundation to them, like for a gathered neckline fixed in place with a mandarin collar, or gathered sleeves set inside a sleeve cuff.
In design school and in the fashion industry in France, we call what is shown here "smocké", which translates to "smock" even though it is not done in a traditional manner with simple embroidery and without the ease of elastic thread.
That is all.
sandali
evihan
cottonbirddesigns
MarmaladyAllsorts
Tortillagirl --sorry but i disagree with you and stand by my earlier post that this is NOT a smocked dress.
according to wikipedia :
shirring - two or more rows of gathers used to decorate parts of garments, usually the sleeves, bodice and yoke.
smocking - Needlework decoration of small, regularly spaced gathers stitched into a honeycomb pattern.
The decorative embroidery is an essential part of smocking --which cannot be done on an item such as this where elastic thread has been used to form the gathers/pleats as they are not regular enough to embroider
bigbluebed
Very pretty dress.
But as Marmalady says not the type of smocking taught me by my mum.
Which is a beautiful craft.
bananaicecream
I agree with Marmalady, there is no embroidery here which is the key element to smocking ;)
Bunnys
PawPawsWorkshop
SweetPeaFabrications
Very nice. Thanks for the tutorial! Cute photos, too!
steinschmuckdesign
lovelygifts
FlanneryCrane
The photograph is article is adorable...little girl looking at woman. SWEET>
CityChicCountryMouse
So cute! Reminds me that I still need to pick up a copy of the book :)
LoveAppleBoutique
mythunderstood
What the heck is that?
Anyway, thanks for sharing the technique - some people are just naturally generous. There are a few sellers I've seen here who do amazing work in this technique but I forget their names.
Lovely!
chinacutter
designlab443
tldgrainwear
Thanks for the technique tip!
I think I might try it one of these days, cheers!
retrothreadz
LMAO MYTHUNDERSTOOD I was thinking the same ;o)
Those are some of the sweetest dresses ever, wish I had a daughter.
Great article
MyJunkyTrunk
beachhouseblues
Great thanks!
ALL FLOWER & SHELL PRINTS....
20% OFF!
etsy shop: beach house blues
thebestvintage
MyMoms
mythunderstood
Oops!!!!!! My 'what the heck is that?' comment referred to some spammish type msg that has since been removed and had nothing to do with the lovely items or story.
tortillagirl
Marmalady: wikipedia is not an appropriate source. Sorry, I don't agree with you either. Let's just agree to disagree, mmkay? You're not going to convince me anymore than I'll convince you.
tortillagirl
P.S. Marmalady: wikipedia is not a source I accept; it's not even allowed to be used as reference in U.S. schools.
And I still don't agree with you. Feel free to continue to "correct" me and have others agree until you're all blue in the face. Just have fun doing it. (I'm not being sarcastic, I'm being lighthearted about it. If everyone agreed about everything all the time, life would be quite boring!)
MarmaladySupplies
very well tortilla -- we will just have to agree to disagree
if you dont accept wikipedia, there are hundreds of other sources i *could* quote that define smocking as an english tradition of embroidery on gathered pleats
Maybe it is defined differently elsewhere -- but here in the UK smocking must have embroidery -- if it is just gathered with elastic thread it is shirred
paramountvintage
Nostalgia
ModFarmgirl
How cute is that!? I JUST ordered that book today! Can't wait for it to come!!
babook
It`s a perfect Sewing Instructions ... How it`s easy to knew the sewing . with the lovely and cute picked : )
See my shop http://www.babook.etsy.com/ also lovely ! Thanks .
scarletbloom
I've been talking about this dress for months! Very nice article, loved the part about your childhood.
LuttrellStudio
I have so mauch fabric and have always wanted to try making one of these!! The smocking intimidates me and I never try....I can't wait to try now! Thanks for sharing!
mytreasuredheirlooms
This is not smocking but its actually called shirring as others have mentioned. It is simple to do and looks so beautiful.
As for the instrucitons the writer has forgotten to mention or does not realize that the ends of the elastic must be tied off in some way or another to prevent the ends of the elastic from pulling out, something that will happen over time.
EmmaBeeTextileArts
Thank you for this article; i've been trying to master the art of shirring for ages!
MessyJesse
TreeHuggerStudio
GirlyCute
Cute- but not a smocked dress! That's an adorable shirred sundress! Smocking is done with dot patterns and pulling the fabric- no elastic thread is used when smocking.
lakenandlila
KasaCollection
thank you so much... i always wondered how to get the lines so nice and straight with many many lines....,.. hahah... and i love this book "weekend sewing" as well.
keep going... good job
luvinthemommyhood
Wow! Thanks for sharing this with us! I love this book so much! Made my day!
I couldn't resist adding this to our link luv roundup today.
Jenniferleuck
I have this book. If you like sewing Its a great book to have!!!!
veryverdant
Oh, thanks for sharing. I will have to try this for my little girl.
javagirls
TexasEagle
Polyclarific
Really who cares what its called, its just a technique. I am trying this today and just need to figure out the tension I need for it to work. Thanks for sharing.
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