The Eight Dollar Dress (6411 Views)

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  Step 1 of 8

  You'll need about 1.5 m of a casual fabric (gingham, quilter's cotton, etc) and a bunch of elastic.

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  Step 2 of 8

  Cut the elastic into strips that will wrap around your chest. The elastics should be snug enough to hold up the dress, but still comfortable. I am a 34in bust and my elastic strips were about 28in unstretched. Cut 10 to 15, depending on how wide you want the smocking effect to be

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  Step 3 of 8

  Cut the fabric into a rectangle. The height of the rectangle should equal the length of the dress plus allowances for the neckline and hem, and the width of the rectangle should be a comfortable circumference of your hips with a little give. Press and sew the neckline and hem, as shown.

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  Step 4 of 8

  Pin the end of a strip of elastic parallel to the neckline on top of the first basted stitches. Pin the end of the elastic to the last basted stitched, being careful not to twist. Stretch the elastic so as to meet the width of your fabric rectangle, and pin in the centre. Continue to stretch and pin the centre until you have about 9 pins in your elastic.

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  Step 5 of 8

  Sew the first elastic to the fabric by first securing the elastic to the fabric with few stitches. You will then stretch the elastic to meet the width of the fabric as shown, stitching with a short stitch setting.

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  Step 6 of 8

  Continue pinning and stitching the elastic to the fabric about 3/4-1in apart, creating a smocked effect. It can get a little hairy as you add more elastic, so it helps to hold both the strip you are sewing AND the one beside it taut as you go.

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  Step 7 of 8

  Sew the rectangle into a tube and press the seam flat.

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  Step 8 of 8

  Tada! Add straps, pockets, details, whatever and its ready to wear. I couldn't decide if I wanted a strap or not, so I sewed in a hook and eye closure into the centre front and strap to make both possible.