Gown - Instructions Intermediate Level This simple pattern is the most versatile of any contemporary pattern you'll find. It works as the basis for many different styles: a simple cotton sundress with spaghetti straps, a strapless satin cocktail dress, or a formal, sheer, glittering evening gown. With only your imagination and the following detailed directions, you should be able to alter the basic pattern to create some of today's most popular fashions… Read all instructions first before proceeding. Supplies & Materials: 6” x 6” piece of lightweight silky or cotton fabric (skirt, bodice & sleeves) 6” x 6” piece of lining fabric (skirt and bodice lining) Coordinating ribbon or trim Matching thread Sewing needle and/or sewing machine Fabric glue (as an alternative to sewing) Sharp scissors Straight pins Tacky glue Fray-Check or the equivalent and an old paintbrush Pen or tracing tool Cork or Foamcore board Handheld iron Aqua-Net hairspray or fabric stiffener			Click Here for the DRESS PATTERN
Directions: 1- If using a washable fabric (does not apply to silks, satins and velvets), pre-wash the fabric to take out the sizing placed in the fabric during manufacturing. 2- Iron all fabrics on the proper heat setting for the fabric used. 3- Cut out the pattern pieces from the sheet. 4- There are two options for applying the pattern to the fabric: a- Lay each piece down on the wrong side of the fabric using the arrow on the pattern to determine placement along the grain of fabric. With a pen, lightly trace each pattern onto the wrong side of the fabric. b- Lay each piece down on the wrong side of the fabric using the arrow on the pattern to determine placement along the grain of fabric. Pin the paper pattern directly to the fabric. 5- Using a pair of sharp scissors, cut out the pattern pieces just inside the line you drew, removing the line, or if you choose to pin the pattern down, cut close along the pattern shape. 6- Make note of what each piece is as you cut. This is important because all of the labeling will be left behind on the pattern paper. Refer to the bottom of these instructions for identification of each piece. 7- Apply fray check along the edges of each piece with a brush after cutting to prevent fraying or unraveling. Remember to wash the glue from the brush right away before it dries. 8- To make the long skirt, pin or join the two skirt pieces (one outer fabric, one lining), with right sides facing one another, by sewing or fabric gluing a 1/8” hem along the curved bottom.  9- Clip along the sewn bottom curve and then turn the skirt so that the right sides are now facing out. Iron the piece for a crisp bottom edge. HINT: Be careful not to over iron, which will scorch such small pieces of fabric quickly! 10- Test the length of the skirt: If the skirt is too long, place the skirt against the front of the doll or mannequin, then cut away a bit of fabric along the top edge all the way around until the bottom edge of the skirt just grazes the floor and the top raw edge of the skirt is at least 1/8” above the waist. Set aside  11- For the bodice, cut two pieces from the bodice pattern (one outer fabric, one lining). With right sides facing, sew or carefully fabric glue along the top and both sides. Clip the corners and the curve along the bodice top before turning the so that the right sides now face out.  12- Dry fit the bodice to the doll to be sure the darts are in line with the breasts. The two back seams of the bodice should meet flush to each other along the center spine. Make any necessary adjustments now.  13- Determine how deep the bodice needs to be from under the arms to the waist where the skirt will join the bodice and mark it with a small ink mark, a straight pin or a piece of masking or dressmakers tape. DO NOT trim anything off the bottom edge of the bodice. 14- Iron the dart flaps flat. For a smoother look if necessary, trim darts and coat edges with fray check. Set aside.  15- Choosing the sleeve option: For the sleeves, sew or fabric glue a 1/8” hem at the wrist.  16- Run a slight gathering stitch along the top curve of each sleeve and tie off.  17- With right sides facing, sew or fabric glue the long seam of the sleeve. Turn the sleeves so that the right side faces out. Set aside.  18- To attach the skirt to the bodice: Run a quick, basic basting stitch along the entire top edge of the skirt and gather so that the length of the skirt's top edge is now only ¼” longer than the length of the bodice when it is laid out flat.  19- With right sides facing, pin the skirt's top raw edge to the bottom raw edge of the bodice, leaving 1/8” of the skirt to extend past each end of the bodice. Sew or fabric glue a 1/8” seam along the joined raw edges.  20- Now with right sides facing, sew or fabric glue a 1/8” seam along the skirt's back seam from the waist where it joins the bodice to the skirt's bottom hem. Note: You should still be able to slip the bodice/skirt piece onto the doll at this point. If the opening is too tight, open up the skirt's back seam at the top a little until it is large enough to slip onto the doll, either going over the doll's head first or feet first and then over the hips, and then secure the opened stitches with a few mending stitches or a bead of glue.  21- If you are not going to be adding sleeves, skip to # 24. 22- Choosing the sleeve option: If you will be adding sleeves, at this point take the bodice and skirt back off the doll and set aside.  23- Slip the sleeves onto the dolls arms with the long seam along the inside of the arm and with a thin bead of tacky glue, secure the raw top edge of the sleeve from the shoulders around the arm pits and back around. Use the glue sparingly! Let dry.  24- Take either a triple folded piece of the outer fabric (hemmed to make a long piece approximately 1/8” wide and 3” long) or a 3” piece of trim and tacky glue down to cover the raw edge of the sleeves at the shoulders and along the bodice edge. The length of the piece should run from the center back top of the bodice, over one shoulder, around and across the top of the bodice front, and back over the other shoulder to meet the other end where you began.  25- Once you are sure the bodice/skirt fits correctly, run a thin bead of tacky glue at the shoulder and side seams, and glue the bodice to the doll. Note: Now is the time to close the skirt's back seam if it was necessary earlier to open it up to get the dress onto the doll.  26- Tacky glue the back of the bodice closed. The two back seams of the bodice should meet along the center spine.  27- At this point you can further embellish the gown any way that you want using. © 2003 - 2005 Storybook Miniatures. All rights reserved. Back Lace, trim, jewels, fringe, ribbon, beading, etc. See the illustrations on this page for design ideas!