Cute Summer Burlap Bag Dress!

The day this project began looked like this

We ended up getting what feels like 2 feet of snow in a 24 hour period. In fact most fell between 7am and 5pm.  Some kind of crazy day which was a perfect setting for the beginning of the...

Cute Summer Burlap Bag Dress !

The pattern was purchased on one of our first outings to Fabric Land after I got my machine for xmas. 

Prey picked it out as she figured it out cuz it was A: VERY EASY lol and B: cute as heck!!

She likes style A so that is what I set out to create out of the muslin. 

It was not long after starting to read the pages that I discovered that we had gotten the wrong size. I was sad at first then thought it was better as it would use less fabric to create my sample (trial) dress. 

Again I spend a good amount of time reading through and working to understand the steps involved in this recipe.

I referenced some terms on the You Tube which has become my very favorite tool these days. I learned a bunch of stuff watching but it really can be distracting when you get going so I am trying to keep my viewing honed into the project needs at the time.

The pattern instructions were pretty straight forward. I did make a few mistakes when I was putting it together.  I tend to put to much fabric as a fold under hem which made the space to small for the tie. 

I also seem to have a bit of difficulty with the cutting of the interfacing as every time I have used it I have cut one piece backwards.  I have also learned while ironing the interfacing on I need to have a top ad bottom protective piece of fabric. It is sticky stuff.. and when put on wrong.. well.. lol

I also tend to get a bit confused with my left and rights. I am guessing their left is as I look at the item but guessing has gotten me in trouble. 

Saying that means I spent a bit of time ripping out seams as I readjusted to what was actually required of me. 

Those two lines of thread at the bottom are the start of gatherings. This process makes the cute little puckers in the fabric. In theory this should be simple to accomplish and in the top aspect of the dress I was able to pull it off like butter. 

THEN...

I had to do it again for the skirt part. the first side of the skirt puckered like a baby eating lemons. Sadly that was all I was allowed to enjoy.

I started to work the second side and knew immediately that things were going south. 

The threads kept sticking. I am not sure if they were getting stuck in the fabric. As it was kinda knarley or if it was just a moment of sucky thread luck.

 Either way it broke.. then the bottom thread broke.. then I resewed the baste line and tried again. It worked for a moment bringing my spirits up and then it broke as well.

In the end I gathered and pinned the damn thing myself and attached it to the top. 

It took a little figuring things out to wrap my head around this waistband but once I understood what they were telling me it was easy. This was one of those moments that I got the interfacing right. Although I had forgotten to cut it out with the pattern so it was a realization and recovery that made me grin!!

 After the top was created the rest was really easy. Now I didn't finish it entirely. I did not stitch the waistband to the dress in the inside. It required hand sewing and I was lazy! I also didn't finish my seams or add in the zipper. 

Not because I am lazy but more so because this dress wont be worn so I don't want to put materials into it I don't need to. 

I will be doing this again in the right size with some fabric I was given. I will finish it as maybe someone will want to wear it. It will be one more practice so I use it to fit prey properly and create her pattern. 

I will post those pictures once it is done to show the differences!