Joy's Jots, Shots & Whatnots: November 2024

For the past 3 years, I have joined some people at our local Extension Office to make dresses by their directions and pattern for Operation International, a nonprofit medical organization dedicated to saving lives and improving health care in underserved communities across the globe. They include clothing, shoes and school supplies distribution in each trip. We were told the dresses we made would go to Ghana.

The larger gathered skirt was added to give girls more movement when squatting down. The regular peasant dress pattern wasn't roomy enough. This tutorial is to provide the directions and pattern, and give some of my directions while still following their necessary rules.

Maybe you'll have time to make some. If you'd like to mail them to help the organization, please find the addresses and info at the bottom of this post. They also use T-shirt Dresses and Pillow case Dresses."

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Tuesday Tutorial

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Just download the pictures

for your copy.

My hand notes and highlights are included.

If you want a clean copy, go to end of post.

Using the size chart, cut fabric for the bodice and sleeves.

Elastic can be 1/4 or 1/2 inch wide.

Casings will be made to fit elastic.

Trace and cut out sleeve cutout

according to size needed.

Notice there is no designation

of front and back bodice.

They are the same.

I always get the sleeve and bodice mixed up.

The sleeve is larger than the bodice.

Double turn and top stitch edge to hem sleeve, or to create a casing for elastic.

Stitch the sleeves to the bodice pieces at the underarm.

The four pieces come together in a circle.

Sleeves on side and bodice in front and back.

All seams are to be finished to prevent fraying from a lot of washing.

In some cases this may be the only dress or 1 of a couple

of dresses they own, so they will be used a lot.

A serger was used here.

Zig Zag will work as well.

On the side seams of the skirt,

I used French seams sometimes.

According to chart above,

cut length of elastic pieces

for neck and arm.

Double turn about 1/2 inch (large enough for elastic)

around the neck.

Insert elastic.

Insert elastic in sleeves, if desired.

Stitch and finish side and under arm seams.

Or check out another option below

for continuous side seams.

Stitch skirt pieces together.

Use your favorite method to gather the skirt.

I like to Zig Zag over a cord.

The cord is pulled out,

after the skirt is gathered

and stitched to the bodice

below the zig zag stitch

so the zig zag stitch doesn't have

to be removed.

Actually my favorite way to add the skirt is

BEFORE

I stitch the side of the sleeve and bodice

I cut the skirt in half,

front and back

gather and add to front and back bodice

and put the entire dress together like this,

with side seams starting at sleeve hem

going all the way to the skirt hem.

Finish the seam of the gathered skirt

with zig zag or serger.

Top stitch the skirt seam to the bodice.

This helps prevent a knee getting caught in the skirt

and pulling the waist seam apart.

I remember doing that many times

on the playground at school when I was in elementary school

when we had to wear dresses.

Double turn the bottom of the skirt about 1/2 inch

and top stitch edge to hem.

Rita Hartman's name was on these directions. She made this video to show you how to make the dress. However, her link for directions and pattern is not working. So I'm offering the pattern on this post.

I'm told in the future,

we'll be making long shorts with draw string waist.

We usually meet in September.