Bijoux Maxi Dress

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Bijoux Maxi Dress

I have so much to tell you about quilt market and so many pictures to show, but this sweet face wanted a Bijoux maxi dress for the last day of school (tomorrow), and I couldn't resist her charms. Look at that gorgeous smile... she just got her braces off! For those of you who noticed, yes, she has taken over my new purse.

I totally winged this dress... Basically, I hemmed the top using my hem foot. Then I added 1/4" elastic by zig zag stitching it on just under the hem (the elastic is just slightly shorter than her measurement). Then I added the skirt which is simply the width of the fabric gathered just a touch. I did the elastic the same way at the waist. I put one seam all the way down the back after the top and skirt were sewn together. I used half inch seam allowances which was a good thing because we found after she put it on that it needed a slit in the back. So she can actually, you know... walk. I simply opened the seam at the bottom 12", slit the seam allowance to the stitching at the top, and folded the slit in 1/4" twice, and top stitched all the way around the opening. I back stitched several times at the top of the opening so that the stitching in the seam doesn't come out. And, no, I didn't bother matching the print. Don't judge.