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It's your favorite girl @debbie-ese 😍
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In this post I will be sharing with you how I made a smocked two-piece outfit with ankara for a customer. Well, before we delve into the tutorial let me share with you the backstory. Do you know that not paying attention to details can cost you but I'm thankful that in this case it didn't cost me to much.
A few weeks ago, a customer reached out to me via WhatsApp that she wanted to make a dress, so she sent me a picture of this beautiful dress and from a quick glance, it was a stylish two-piece made with ankara fabrics. So, I calculated the cost of making the dress for her (both the cost of the fabric and sewing) and sent it to her and within 24 hours she had made the payment.
Fast forward to when I finally began sewing, it was time to take a closer look at the picture so as to replicate every details, only for me to realize that the entire outfit was fully smocked.
Smocking is a style of sewing a fabric to achieve a stretching effects using elastic threads. To achieve smocking in a dress you have to stitch the fabric in a number of gathers to create a stretchy effect.
For anyone that knows what it takes to smock a dress, you know it takes more time, more energy and of course a higher price. So, I was at a crossroad of whether to go back and explain or take it upon myself to do the needful. Guess what I did. Well, I chose the latter.
What You Need
- Ankara
- Elastic threads (black)
- Zip
- Matching threads
- Scissors
- Tailoring chalk
Measurements (Top)
Shoulder 16"
Bust 46"
Under bust 38"
Bust line 16"
Half length 20"
Waist 44"
Top length 27"
Sleeve length 20"
Round sleeve 16"
Trouser measurement
Waist 44"
Hip 48"
Lap 30"
Kneel length 21"
Round kneel 22"
Trouser length 44"
Step by Step
- I started by drafting the trouser and adding 2" for allowance. Let me quickly walk you through it, I have previously shared how to draft a trouser in my previous blog but let’s quickly go over it again.
I started by folding my fabric into 2 and I ensured that the width was 18” wide, then I drew my starting line, which will also be my waist line. Then I drew my hip line the distance of my client waist to hip is 9” then I drew my crotch line (her hip divided by 4 i.e 48\4=12”) waist to crotch 12”. Then my dress my kneel line 22” and my full trouser length which is 44".
I start inputting my bodice measurement, at the waist, I first used my hip measurement divided by 4 (48/4=12). Please do not get confused I will come back to re-adjust the waist measurement. On the hip line I took 12” still then on the crotch line I marked her hip measurement 12” then I went further to divide that 12”by 4 again giving me 3” I marked it after the 12” making it 15” on the crotch line.
Mind you I didn’t put lap 3“ below the crotch line I took the lap measurement which is 30/2=15, then on our kneel line I took the round knee measurement divided by 2 (22/2=11).
On the full trouser length I took then ankle measurement to be 8” then I went back to the waist line to reduce the waist line from the left (44/4=11) so I reduce the waist to 11” this will give the hip line a little curve.
- Because we are going to be shewning this fabrics we will add extra 2” to all the measurements , so I went ahead to cut it out.
And folded the fabric into 2 to cut the back piece so I folded into 22” then lay my front pieces on the back part on the part that has L shape (waist hip and crotch ) I came out by 2” then on the crotch I came out by 3” then on the other part I just came out by 1”and then cut it out.
The top I took my shoulder measurement 16/2=8 and armhole, I used 8.5” then my bust line from shoulder to her nipple point is 11.5, under bust line 16”and waist line or half length 20”.
This is an off shoulder dress so from the shoulder I will take 5” and cut it out then go ahead to take my bodice measurements divided by 4 then cut it out. Use the front piece to cut the back and make provision for zipper, the zipper allowance should be 1.5 “.
Then go ahead to cut 2 flare, remember our top key is 27” and from shoulder to wait is 20” so the longer flare should be 7” while the short flare is 4.5”.
So I went over to the sew machine on my roller I rowed in my elastic threads because that is what will shrink the fabric. I spaced it by 0.75 trust me when I say this stressed me out. I took several days to finish the smocking of the dress. When I smoke to a certain stage I will abandon the work and do something else and come back to it again.
- After smocking every part of the fabric (the top and trouser) I went ahead to join all the pieces accordingly and shape it.
Thanks for reading and see you in my next one.
ABOUT ME
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