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4.21.2010

The Astoria Dress

This post is part of a month long series called 'Pattern Makeover Month.' I took a simple a-line, peasant dress and 'made-it-over' into many different styles. For more information, go here.



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Another fun embellishment!

Once you have the dress finished as instructed, add some fluff. Cut strips of chiffon in 1-1.5 inch strips. You will need about 8 strips for a size 5T.

Hand wind a bobbin with elastic thread, stretching the thread about 50% as you wind. Place the elastic wound bobbin in your machine. Thread the machine with regular thread. Set your stitch length to the longest it will go. Sew a straight line down the middle of your chiffon strips, adding the next strip as you go by overlapping about 1/2 inch.

Once you have your chiffon shirred, start stitching it on your dress, starting on one side seam close to the hem of the dress. Use a slight zigzag stitch and sew right over your shirred seam, like so:





Once you get back to where you started, overlap the ruffle just a hair and cut. Move up the dress so that the ruffles are close, but not overlapping. Make three rows. Take the left-over ruffle strip and make a pattern above your lines of ruffles. Lay them out in a pleasing way and stich into place. I made three swirls and started stitching from the outer edge, inward.








A little sneak peek!

23 comments:

Melissa @Lilac Lane said...

My goodness, you've been busy!

Tong said...

Love the ruffles!

Lacey said...

Yet another adorable dress!

Kelly O. said...

serious ruffly cuteness!

Natalie said...

Very cute!

Emily said...

I'm impressed you're doing this much sewing AND thinking up cute dress names while you're at it!!!

Jessica said...

I love chiffon, nd yellow chiffon? So dreamy!

joanna said...

I can't imagine how you are having time to do all this, but I love seeing it! Thanks!

The Wynn Family said...

The ruffle is so adorable, so perfect for Acadia!

Angela C. said...

Very cute! Now to find the time to make some of these!

mel said...

Shirring is on my list of 'want to learn to do's'!! This looks so great!

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

I'm trying to decide if I would go nuts trying to gather that chiffon. It's so cute!

Jamie said...

I am definitely going to have to give this a try!

Amy said...

Great idea!

stacey said...

Chiffon! I never would have thought of that and I LOVE it!

Jess said...

The yellow is so vibrant and summery!

Meg said...

The chiffon is such a great idea! Very pretty.

Heather said...

I just love the addition of the chiffon, adorable!

sally said...

I love the embellishments. What a wonderful idea to dress up a dress!

Ange Moore said...

I love the fabric you've used in this dress and the tulle frills are lovely - reminds me of MADE's turkey skirt!

Peggy said...

Love the ruffles! These will be great on pillows!

Ana @ Don't Fear the Ripper said...

The ruffles look great!
acwink@cox.net

Anonymous said...

I love this black and yellow scheme!