Cora's Simple Shift Dress



All of Cora's clothes templates are going to be available in the same PDF file, which you can find in my pattern store.  Don't worry, it's free!!!  So go ahead and download it now, and you'll be able to make all of the great outfits for Cora Jean.  You'll have to wait each week for the how-to though. These will just be tutorials, not patterns with lots of details, but I hope that they will be complete enough for you to figure out how to make the clothes.  If something isn't clear or you think I made a mistake, please let me know!  It is a lot of work to put together all of these templates online along with tutorials, and I've had to just write up a little bit each night, so let me know if something isn't clear. 

I also apologize that these pictures are a bit dark.  Since this was for Lu's birthday, I did this mostly at night, and the lighting wasn't great.  Most of the other tutorials will be a lot better because I did them one day when Lu was having a daddy/daughter date out of the house. 

Ok, let's get started.

1.  Print out the template (using fit to paper setting).  Cut out your pieces.  I've added seam allowances when required (mostly 3/8 inch, unless stated otherwise), although if you'd like to use different seam allowances you'll have to adjust the pieces as needed.

2.  Cut out your pieces.  They should look like this.

3.  I added a small strip of bias tape to the edge of the dress.  This will be the sleeves.

3.  Fold over and sew.

3. When it is finished, it should look like this (on both the front and the back dress piece):

4.  Hem up the bottom of the dress, making it as long (or short) as you'd like it.

5.  Sew up the side seams.

6.  Make a little "tunnel" for the elastic (I use a 1/4 of an inch elastic, so I just sewed it a bit larger than that-3/8 inch seams).   Sew a straight seam.  Do this to both sides of the dress.

6.  Now you should have a little passageway for for the elastic.  For the length of your elastic, just eyeball it.  I take the elastic and just measure around the doll's neck, adding a little bit to be able to tie it.  I run the elastic through the front piece (sing a safety pin to help it through).

7.  You should end up with both ends of the elastic on one side of the dress. I just tied a knot  and then pulled it so that it was in the "tunnel" instead of the side between the front and back. 

And here it is finished.  Pretty easy, huh?  Stay tuned for the Mother Goose Tutorial later this week.