Friday, April 29, 2011

JCrew Inspired Dress Tutorial

Hi everyone! I did it...I finished the "Green cardigan project" I have been working on. All I needed to do was to take a nice picture. Then, guess what... It SNOWED today! So, you need to wait a little bit longer for me to be able to share the tutorial for that project.

In the mean time, I am going to post a tutorial I did for the Knock-off Series at Kojo Design last week.

I love going through Anthropology and JCrew catalogs; there are many designs that inspire me. My recent knock off project is an Anthro inspired necklace. Usually when I see something I love, I will internalize it and when I create something, the finished item is different than the original one. It definitely has my own twist. That is my way of doing a "knock off". Figuring out how to make then go from designing to creating; it is all such a fun process!

Today, I am sharing a dress I created inspired by JCrew. Here is the original;

Golden Raindrop Dress...


Isn't it gorgeous? The name alone is very dreamy, but this dress is also very feminine and stylish… looks like you can float in the wind. It is made out of chiffon... with a price tag of $750.00!

Wow, I just woke up. It is a beautiful dress, but there is no way that I can justify $750.00 on a dress.

Here is what I came up with;




I call it Ivory Sunlight Dress... (If you have a better name feel free to email me :) )

I used 100% cotton; it is textured, very light weight almost like gauze fabric. I found it at Joann's for 6.99/yd. I used my 40% off coupon for three yards of fabric, so my version of the dress cost me about $13.00! Because I wanted to make it for every day wear, cotton is better choice than chiffon for me.

I am so in love with my new spring dress...


I wish I could just take a small vacation to somewhere very peaceful and quiet. Take only a few books and some necessities (that includes one of my favorite cardigans, just in case I get cold)




Ok, I will show you what I did...

{Top part of the dress}

1. I wanted more coverage than the original dress. I used pattern 3152 by Kwiksew for the top portion of the dress. It is very simple to make, you can make the top in no time. The only thing I did was to bring up the neckline a little. I drew a line 1/2" higher. Also, I used a shorter line for this project. You can use any similar pattern to create the top.



{Cutting & Constructing the skirt and dress}

1. Cut the skirt out. Please use the picture as a guide to get a better idea of what I am talking about. I measured the bottom of the top part of the dress, and it measured 18" finished. So, I cut out...


2 pieces of 13" X 18 1/2" of fabric for the top part of the skirt
2 pieces of 13" X 28" of fabric for the middle part of the skirt
2 pieces of 13" X 44"(it was the width of the fabric) for the bottom part of the skirt

There are a few things... I came up with this measurement pretty randomly. I am about 5'3", if you are taller or shorter than I am; obviously you need to make some adjustments.

Another thing, I used my Serger a lot for this project, how you finish up the seams is totally up to you, depending on that, you will need to adjust the seam allowance as well.

2. Mark the middle of the fabrics for the skirts. This will make it easier for you to make the gather equal later on.


3. Gather the fabrics to make the skirt, sew the top part of each piece with the largest stitches with your sewing machine. I sewed two lines, so that it is easier to make more even and prettier gather. Pull both threads to gather the fabric.
Put top and middle parts of the skirt right sides together and sew. Treat the seam with the method of your choice. Press, repeat the process with the middle and bottom part of the skirt. Then, attach the skirt to the top part of the dress in the same way.


4. Measure yourself under your bust and cut 1/4" wide elastic according to the measurement.

Sew the elastic on the seam line where the top of the dress and the skirt meet (inside of the dress). Don't forget to stretch out the elastic as you go.




{Cutting & making the ruffles for the each row}

1. From the top cut (I used my Serger to treat the edges. If you choose to fold the edges to sew straight line, you need wider strips for this).

1- 2" X 44" strip for the first row

Cut enough 3" wide strips to make a 76" long strip for the second row.
Cut enough 4" wide strips to make a 96" long for the third row.
Cut enough 5" wide strips to make a 128" long for the very bottom row.

For the very first strip, you need to create a curvy shape on both sides. Treat the edge all around it.


For the other strips, sew them together to make a big circle, so that the ruffle will go around the skirt. Treat both sides of the seams with the method of your choice.

2. Make ruffles out of them. Use the same method for gathering the fabric as you did to make the skirt.

3. Attach the ruffles on each seam line of the skirt. I sewed about 1/4" into the ruffles.

Make sure that the ends of the very top ruffles will meet in the middle. It is helpful to pin both sides in the middle before you start to sew.



{Making flowers}

1. Cut strips.

Large -- 3 1/2" X 28"
Medium-- 3" X 20"
Small--- 2" X 18"

2. Treat the edges. Zigzag would work, if you are not planning on sewing them to the dress, you can leave the edges raw too.

3. Use the largest stitch setting and sew in the middle of the strips. Pull the thread to gather the fabric. If you are making a large flower shrink the strips to 10”; shrink to 8” for medium strips, and 6” for small strips.



4. Fold the strips in half horizontally, and fold the end of the strip to start sewing. Sew, and roll the fabric as you go along to make the flower.


5. Sew three pearls on the large and medium flowers, one for the small flower.

6. Honestly, I couldn't decide where I wanted to sew the flowers on. I thought about sewing two of them of the sides too. I hand sewed the flowers in the middle for now, but who knows, I might change my mind later.


If you decided to make this dress, I hope you will enjoy it as much I do. :)

69 comments :

  1. Your dress is BEAUTIFUL! And I love the name :-) It looks fantastic!

    Rachel @ Maybe Matilda

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  2. I love this! I think I found that fabric you used, but it is soo shear. Did you line your dress?

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  3. I love your version. I think it's better than the original! I really like the peasant type top instead of spaghetti straps. I have this bookmarked!!! Thanks sooo much for sharing how you made it :0)

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  4. Wow!! Just beautiful! I've been keeping my eye out for a new dress for church, and I really wanted to make a long one. This might just be the one!

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  5. I recently found your blog, and I am so happy I did! You are so talented! I'm looking forward to seeing more clothing and knock offs you make!!!

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  6. I'm a fairly new reader of your blog, so "hello"! Your dress is very lovely. You did a wonderful job both in making it and describing how you did it. It's very feminine and perfect for you. :o)

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  7. Thank you everyone for the nice comments!

    Jennifer-
    About your question, yes, the fabric is sheer. I didn't line the top part, but I did the skirt part. I looked for the perfect lining fabric and didn't find any. I ended up using the same material and it worked out fine.

    Sew the lining when you are sewing the top and skirt part together. :)

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  8. Your dress is lovely! Much better than the original:-)

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  9. This dress suits you soooo well and the name is just perfect! :)
    I love the flowers on the neckline!

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  10. Not my style of dress, but your recreation is beautiful! Your talent is amazing.

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  11. this dress is so gorgeous. When I saw it at the Series, my jaw dropped. So VERY beautiful!!

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  12. The dress is lovely and you look gorgeous in it! Thanks for the tute, I must try it after my babe's born. :)

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  13. Amazing job, I love your dress more than the original! I wish I could sew dresses by myself too!!!

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  14. wow! gorgeous dress! you've totally inspired me!!

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  15. Wow! That turned out incredible! I think I have some fabric that just might work with this :)

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  16. it looks really cute on you! :-)

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  17. I LOVE it!! You did such a beautiful job on it ~
    I love the roses too!!

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  18. I think yours is prettier than the original. The rosettes are really pretty too.

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  19. Oh so pretty and comfy looking! I like yours with the sleeves better (for obvious Utah reasons). I will be sharing this at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com probably this afternoon.
    You are so talented.

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  20. Wow! So beautiful! It reminds me of a dress Elizabeth Bennett would have worn in Pride And Prejudice.
    You are so talented. I always anticipate each creation that you make. Your blog is so inspiring.

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  21. gorgeous-I like yours better than the original

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  22. Sachiko - you do such a beautiful job in creating these "knock-offs". This dress is just lovely, and like other commenters, I agree that it is better than the original. You look so sweet and feminine in it! I also want to compliment you on your tutorials. I am a rather new sewer, and I so appreciate the detail you give us in your instructions. You make it so simple for us - I thank you so much for your generosity!!

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  23. Your dress is beautiful. I like it better than the inspiration dress. 750.00 for a dress yikes!

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  24. WOW! I LOVE this dress!! Like seriously, it is so beautiful! So feminine and modest, too. Thank you so much for sharing the tutorial. I hardly know anything about sewing, but I'm definitely keeping this and getting some of my sewing friends to help me out!

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  25. Lovely dress! I like it better than the original!

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  26. Hi Sachiko, Awesome dress and tutorial. A beautiful interpretation of the J Crew dress, yet and I agree with the others, a better version. This brings fond memories of the early 70's when I was in seventh grade and "maxi dresses" were all the rage. My neighbor and good friend Carla sewed them. Thanks for all your wonderful inspiration and tutorials.

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  27. This dress is gorgeous! I've been studying it for over an hour. :) I'm totally going to make it! I'm more of a plus size girl so I'm hoping it will still look soft and feminine. I can't wait! I haven't had a dress since I started having babies 10 years ago. Thank you! It's the first time I've been to your blog and I am so excited to look around some more.

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  28. oh wow! that is beautiful. awesome job!

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  29. Sooo pretty! I'm slowly building up my sewing skills. Hopefully one day I'll be confident enough to tackle a project like this!

    Aloha,
    Charlie

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  30. Yours is much more beautiful and wearable than the original. You amaze me!

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  31. Beautiful dress and such detailed & easy to follow tutorial! Thank you for sharing your tips. You look gorgeous!!

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  32. I like YOUR dress better than the $750 dress! Excellent choice of fabric. It drapes beautifully and looks so feminine.

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  33. I love it! I also like your version much better than the JCrew. I'm becoming a new follower of your blog.

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  34. I like your dress LOTS better than the expensive one. Very nice.

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  35. Yours is gorgeous! It looks great on you and so flowy. Fabulous work.

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  36. It's so beautiful. I definitely want to make one. I just hope it turns out as good as yours!

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  37. It 's wonderful this dress!
    I'm just sorry to have seen it too late for the ceremony of the 1st Communion of my daughter, we celebrated today!
    But you have some simple ideas and extraordinary creative effect!
    Thanks for your tutorial!
    Angela

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  38. So beautiful! Much better than the JCrew, more feminine and wearable, looks gorgeous on you, love it with the cardigan and without, love the more modest look. My daughters are at the "let's wear matching clothes" stage (which I doubt will last long!), and this would be a fun dress to make in coordinating colors or fabrics for the three of us. Thank you for your wonderful tutorial!

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  39. You did a wonderful job! The dress looks so comfortable and just lovely on you!

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  40. Simply beautiful! I can't wait to try this!

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  41. I love that dress! You are so amazing talented!

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  42. Sachiko this is AMAZING!! I'll be sending my readers your way!

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  43. I have been HUNTING for a pattern to make a nursing dress or top.. This I can make into one EASILY!! THANKS!!!!

    froginstitches.blogspot.com

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  44. That is so pretty, and you look beautiful in it! I just saw the post about it over at UCreate. Yay YOU! xoxoxox

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  45. The dress is wonderful. and flowers so cute on it!

    blessings
    barbara jean

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  46. I love the dress. I wondered though if you could post a video clip on the flower I keep rereading it but I think I am missing something.

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  47. oh my goodness - i'm thinking that i have to make this while my sweetheart is out of town - i can't wait to see his face. this dress is stunning - i normally wouldn't like this dress on a hanger, but with you modeling it, it is FANTASTIC!! wish me luck!! i found similar fabric to yours, so ... i'm a copy cat!

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  48. I have come to think of these posts that you do as "Re-Creations".
    I just love them.
    I have yet to make one of them due to time constraints but I have them all saved away and cannot wait to try this one especially.

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  49. This is absolutely the most beautiful creation I've seen for a long time! LOVE it. Every little detail. This is now in my list of creative ideas! Isn't it fun to copy expensive stuff for a fraction of the cost?! Yours is MUCH more beautiful too. I copied a Jcrew child's dress for my 5 and 7 year olds Easter dresses. Fun fun:)

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  50. Such a wonderful dress! Yours is more beautiful than the original.
    Jenny

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  51. It is amazing..thanx for the tutoroal.I'll definitely try it out soon :)

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  52. wowww……u are very good at garment construction….i liked this dress….

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  53. I think your version is better! Just gorgeous!

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  54. I think your version is better! Just gorgeous!

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  55. I made a version of your dress and wanted to share! http://missyscakesandaprons.blogspot.com/2012/04/i-have-finished-another-one-of-my-ufos.html

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  56. Your dress is beautiful. I just love it! Elegant simplicity.

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  57. Have to say that I like your version much better! (And like the price better too!) Thanks for sharing.

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  58. I wonder if I could make this as a maternity dress... Any ideas how to modify it? My BIL is getting married next month & I need a dress!

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  59. I wonder if I could make this maternity... Any ideas on how I might modify it?

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  60. Hi Mary Ann--

    I am not sure, but I am wondering if you could cut the front part of the skirt wider and gather it. That way, there would be more room for your tummy. :)

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  61. This dress is amazing! It's so my style! I love the ruffles! I really want to make something like this!

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  62. You are amazing-very talented. all your projects look so beautiful.

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  63. This dress is so feminine and beautiful! I'm thinking of a version for us older folks! (60!) I'll have to get back to you on that, though. In the meantime, I wouldn't mind wearing it the way it is!

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  64. Your dress is a zillion times better-looking than the $750 version! It's much classier, and classic. Can't wait to cruise around your blog- you're very talented. :)

    -Heather R., The Real Leopardstripes

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  65. Your version is better than the original and looks gorgeous on you. You are very talented. Thank you for sharing.
    Juana,
    New Zealand

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  66. This is a really gorgeous dress. Beautiful job.

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  67. I adore this dress and the way you went about constructing it too. My only personal edit are the capped sleeves. With a bust over a "D" in size this exaggerates the bosom area visually by widening it. I will lengthen the sleeve to right below this line or omit the sleeve entirely.

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  68. serendipity. I found this entry by accident, lovely dress. I have just finished drafting my own pattern for a similar style dress though my skirt will be different. This has given me some ideas though, maybe a short frill on the bottom of my skirt, have to see. Hope you get years of enjoyment from this garment, looks lovely and timeless.

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  69. How lovely is this dress?! Thank you. I'm going to make it out of unbleached muslin and add hand-crocheted cotton lace trim. My only "problem" will be deciding who I'm going to give it to!

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