Pretty Girls strapless dress tutorial

Hey everyone!

So i designed this cute little dress for my daughter as I was getting tired of straps on dresses. Now she is almost walking I thought it would be nice to have a dress without straps to slip on and off. This is so handy if you want to jump a little skivvy and tights underneath or a perfect covering for a hot summers days. It's incredibly simple and is so adjustable you can make it look however you want.

I have these dresses for sale over on my page.

I made this as a size 1 - 1/2 year old. I just took the measurements of my 14 month old.

This is my first tutorial so please don't judge it too harshly and definitely have some fun with it. If you make it please jump a photograph up so I can see how well you did  :)

Step 1:

3 assorted fabrics that will go together:
I used plain pink cotton fabric for the under skirt piece,
A pink spandex, leotard material for the skirt covering.
And a purple design thicker material for the top foundation piece. (That was in my fabric storage :))

If you are looking for cute printed material for your dress, I found the most gorgeous little fabric shop online- Berry Patch Cottage and I love their FQ's

You will also need;
elastic (I used knitted elastic)
A sewing machine
Scissors
2 buttons
measuring tape
Pins - lots of pins

Step 2: 

Measure your wee darling!! Haha I hate this bit!

So you'll need the measurements:

from the armpit to the 'under bust line' (A-U)
From the 'under bust line' to Just above the knee (U-K)
Round the body under the armpits then half this for the width (W)

Seam Allowances --- I left 2 inches  on the top of the bottom skirt (U-K) and 1 inch on the bottom of the skirt (U-K)

And I left 3 inches at the top of the top piece (A-U) and 1 inch at the bottom of that.

Then I added 1 inch on all sides of both pieces (W)

Here are the measurements for the Size 1 clothing that I did. You will need to add the seam allowances as mentioned above to this :)

Step 3:

Iron and Cut the fabric:

You will need 2 pieces of the top (A-U) Fabric cut 

4 pieces of the bottom skirt (U-K) cut. 2 with the under skirt material and 2 with the over skirt material.

Step 4:

Take a piece of the over skirt material and sew a line down the (W) width of the fabric.  About an inch from the edge. Use a wide stitch (I used a 5 stitch length) and Do not backstitch on either end. 

--- Hint--- if you have a slippery skirt material hold the both threads behind the the machine as you sew the strip.

 

Grab the bottom thread from both ends and pull to shirr the fabric to an appropriate and even ruffle. Don't stress if it looks a little rough it won't be seen anyway. 

Step 5:

Once you are happy with the shirring, lay the the overskirt onto the underskirt both right side up. Now lay the top material (A-U) right side down onto the skirt and pin it to the skirt.

Sew a straight 2 inch seam being careful that the overskirt does not catch on the seam. Now sew a zigzag stitch between the seam and the outer edge of the fabric to stop it from fraying in the wash.

Repeat Step 4 & 5 to make the other side of the dress. 

Step 6:

Decide which side will be your front and sew two buttons onto the top material allowing for the 3 inch top seam allowance for the elastic.

Step 7:

Put the 2 completed sides together, right sides together. Pin the seam and sew 1 inch from the edge, then do a zigzag stitch between the edge and the seam line. Repeat on the other side. 

Step 8:

Fold and press a quarter of and inch hem on the bottom of the dress. Fold another 1 inch turn, press and pin, make sure the overskirt is included as well. Sew a pretty looking zig zag or overlocking stich around the edge of the hem starting from one of the seams.

Step 9: (Lacking photos due to full memory card at this point)

Grab your elastic and measure it around your babies bust area just below the armpits and mark it exactly. You will need half an inch either side. Fold your top down half and inch and press. Use your elastic as a guide and fold again and press (Watch your button, it tends to be a little hard to work around). Pin it and sew around the edge of it starting from the back middle and leaving a few inch gap when you come back around. Use a safety pin attached to the elastic to push it through. Adjust it according to your mark. Then sew the elastic together, pop a little ribbon tag in the back and sew the elastic in! :)

I'm quite stoked with my effort of a hard days work and the best bit is when she grows up, this will turn into a cute wee skirt!!! :)

Stitch Witch NZ GIVEAWAY For All The Little Princesses!!!

Competition time for one of our Princess Taggy cubes!!!! Open to ALL New Zealanders!!!

(Prince Taggy cubes are on their way)

Tulle, Satin, ribbon, Hello kitty, dinosaurs, and a cute button wrapped into a soft play toy for your princess! 

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Worth $20 usually!!!! All you have to do is comment below on why your daughter/niece/friend's baby is a princess and like our facebook page.

We only have 4 of these limited edition Princess cubes available- So if you want one with your Princesses name embroidered on it ($25 including shipping) Make sure you head over to our page and order now!

Extra entry if you share this blog post via Google Plus!!!
Another extra entry if you comment on our Giveaway Post over on Facebook!

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

* NZ residents only! (Will only be shipped to a NZ address)
* Closes at 6pm Saturday 14/06/2014
* Entries only valid if entrant has liked our facebook page and commented.
* Comments can be on our giveaway facebook post or under this blog. Both are valid entries!
*Terms and conditions subject to change

Mount Everest Free Cross Stitch Pattern

Who doesn't just love mountains! Here is the best Mountain of all for everyone to stitch up! I think I would try this on a black aida cloth for full effect.

Beautiful Flower image Cross Stitch Pattern

It takes a lot for me to be taken by photography but I came across the most amazing photographer just the other day who takes the most scenic locations and grasps at every beautiful angle. I emailed them with fingers crossed that they might allow me to convert one of the magnificent images into a cross stitch piece. They were so kind as to lend it to me so when you borrow this pattern to create your masterpiece remember to head over to

  AJ Illustrations 

and thank them for lending us this beautiful image! 

Now just right click the images below and save them to your computer. Enjoy your masterpiece!

Material Type: Aida Generic White
Design size: 150 x 119 Stitches
Sewn Design size: 10.7" x 8.5" on 14 ct  Aida cloth

Fun Free Wall Hanging Cross stitch Pattern

Courtesy of the Stitch Witch here is a simple (only 10 or so different threads), fun and effective wall hanging for your house! Remember to head over to like us on Facebook and let us know how much you like our pattern!

Just right click on the images and save them, then resize according to your preferences. Enjoy! Free for all!

Funniest stitch images!

There are so many ways to utilize stitching these days. Check out some of my favourites just for a laugh! Hopefully they will have you in stitches!

One for all those wonderful mothers at the end of the day :) 

 A couple of welcome signs that I wouldn't mind hanging on my door :)

And a welcome sign for Christmas :)

A quote for hubby! Can anyone else relate?

and those hubbys with facial hair :)

For those with a bit of Hip..... okay Tri-hard Hipness:

And another.....

A bit of daytime television! Judge Judy still puts a smile on my dial!

 Anyone for a bit of Liam Neeson? Check out this quote from taken? Would love this on my wall as a warning!

Remember the Stitch Witch  can make any of these unique creations for you! Or any others that you may come up with :)

Beginners guide to cross stitch

Hi there all you craftie minds!

The simplest and most effective embroidery style is counted cross stitch and the fact that you want to give it a go is wonderful! I have spent years myself creating these masterpieces as gifts for special occasions and have always received a pleasant appreciation for them. You can pick your own colours, style, personality and have a really unique piece of artwork to gift or hang on your wall. I spend a few hours each night working on any current projects and it really gives me the time to relax and resolve any problems going on in normal life.

How long will it take me to complete a cross stitch?

I am the sort who likes to dive right into the large expansive stitches however with personality and unique design, a small stitch can sometimes create as much effect as a large one. For a complete beginner, I suggest taking on a stitch no bigger than 10cm either way. Once you have realized the achievement on completion a larger scaled design seems much more realistic. A 10cm stitch on 14count aida cloth will take about 15-20 hours to complete depending on how much detail may be involved.

What materials do I need to start?

• A pattern
• 14 ct Aida cloth
• Embroidery thread
• Embroidery needle
• Embroidery hoop
• Frame to finish
• A pair of scissors

A pattern is obviously needed for cross stitch, make sure it is well designed and formatted, and stick to it. You can pick up patterns relatively cheaply from online, instore or buy personalized ones from "The Stitch Witch".

A good base to start is with 14ct Aida cloth. This is easy to work with, the holes are easily defined and a pattern made on this is particularly effective. You are looking at between $10-$15 to pick a small amount of Aida cloth up, otherwise kits are a good place to go. You can also pick these up in a range of colours.

Embroidery thread can be found in places like Lincraft, Spotlight or your local craft store. There are many colours and sometimes it is hard to find the number you may be looking for but just remember if you do replace a colour make sure you do it for ALL of that colour throughout the whole pattern.

Embroidery needles are blunt, which is great for not stabbing your fingers everytime you pull a thread through. You can't use sewing needles, unless you want to increase your pain tolerance so go out and purchase these inexpensive things.

Embroidery hoops aren't essential but make for a better end result and less screw ups along the way. It is like a constant iron for your stitch area. I like using them unless I am working with a really small area and then they just get in the way. However they are recommended and affordable.

Don't purchase a frame until your work is complete unless you are absolutely sure of its final finish. There is nothing worse than changing a colour and the frame clashing or if the frame is to small.

These are all the items a good embroiderer has on hand  and if you buy a cross stitch kit from us, all of the above is included (minus the scissors).

I just want to begin already!

Wash your hands! Aida cloth catches dirt so easy it just isn't worth risking it so just remember to was your hands before starting to work with your stitch

Right so you have gathered all your materials together. Now time for counting, get to your pattern and find the absolute center of your image. Mark it if you like. This is your starting point. The next step is to find the absolute center of your cross stitch material so count and make sure there are enough squares relative to your pattern and mark the center again. Place that center into your embroidery hoop by putting the small circle at the back and the big circle at the front by loosening the bolt on it then retightening once it is spread evenly and tighten until the material has a springy effect,

Now find the first colour of embroidery thread you must use for that middle square and cut of a length (generally around 15 inches is suitable) to use. Now split the thread so you just have two strands (The other half always holds the other 4 so there are no knots formed) and thread those two strands through the eye of your embroidery needle. Now imagine that square in the center on the pattern as a square in the center on your Aida cloth, start by threading from the bottom left hole of that square from back to front to the top right hand hole of that square and threading it to the back as you pull the thread through hold your fingers on the end of the thread at the back so it doesn't pull right through. Now check the pattern to make sure that the square on the right of that center square is full of the same colour and if it is pull the thread through on the bottom left corner hole of the square on the right and again to the top right hand corner of that square. Continue making these slashes until that colour finishes then put the thread from bottom to top from the bottom right of the end square to the top left of that square to create a cross effect. Continue until you have a row of crosses. Congratulations you just completed your first row of crosses in cross stitch and as you were coming back up that row hopefully your end piece of embroidery thread got tied in at the back.

The easiest way to work is downwards, row by row, just make sure you count the pattern clearly and carefully.

Once you have completed all the crosses in the pattern you may have to outline your pattern with a back stitch. They are all the lines around your detail in your stitch. You need 3 strands of embroidery thread for these and just follow the pattern line by line. So if the first line is diagonal downwards, thread the top one first from back to front then the bottom one from front to back then the next line straight down you pull the thread through from the line below from back to front then line back in up one square from front to back. Congratulations you just mastered backstitch. DO NOT TRY TO CHEAT and do more than square worth at a time, the effect on decoration will not be pretty.

Well I'm Finished!

Congratulations! You have completed the hardest part of Cross stitch. Now there are a few things to do before hanging your stripy Dr Seuss quote on your wall,

How to wash your Cross-stitch
How to frame your Cross-stitch

Well thankyou for sitting through our first embroidery blog Know-how, please head over to our facebook page and take a look and some of the wonderful things embroidery has to offer. Follow our blog for free patterns, more tips and tricks and embroidery at its finest :) Hopefully some photos will be added to the blog soon otherwise good luck fans and followers!!!!