Hello everybody! This week's tutorial is a super awesome, super easy pattern hack to one of our favorite Liberty Jane patterns.
By this point, you've probably heard of (or maybe even made) the LJC Peplum Top. It's a great little pattern that features a zipper closure in the back -- so you get to learn a new skill or two, while making a super cute top!
But this little top can easily be made into an adorable dress, as well. It's super easy to do -- since the peplum is cut from a rectangle, all you have to do is cut a slightly larger rectangle, and then continue on as before.
(Click on the image, or the link above, to view this pattern on Pixie Faire...)
**GIVEAWAY UPDATE: We have a winner! It's Anna, who said her favorite skirt length is "knee length, because it is modest yet stylish". Good choice Anna! We'll be in touch with you via email soon :)
Here's how to make the dress:
1. Take the Peplum pattern piece, and some extra copy paper. Tape paper to the bottom and front edge of the Peplum pattern.
2. Draw a line 1/2" away from Center Front, to make a new Center Front. This will add a bit of fullness to the new skirt.
3. Draw a new hemline, 2" below the original hemline, intersecting with the new center front line.
Basically, you just lengthened the peplum 2" to become skirt length, and added an inch of width too (that extra inch helps the skirt fit smoothly around the doll's hips). *Note - These are the specific measurements used to make the dress pictured. If you want to make a longer skirt, simply add a few more inches. If you want a fuller skirt you can add more to the width of the ruffle and just gather it to fit the waistband.
4. Extend the center back to meet the new hemilne and transfer all pattern markings if desired (FOLD, notches, and seam allowance lines) Cut out your modified pattern piece.
5. Follow all the same directions that are in the pattern to sew up your awesome new dress -- the only difference is that the hem of the peplum won't cover the bottom of the zipper (like the instructions tell you to do in step 27). One of our amazing seamstresses came up with this couture technique to cover the raw edge of the zipper tape with a tiny fabric scrap and some steam a seam! You can do something like this or simply cut the end at a point and apply a bit of fray check to keep it from fraying.
Congratulations! You've just hacked a pattern successfully!
Giveaway time!
Want to win this adorable little dress? Great! We'd love to send it to one lucky winner!
To enter, just leave a comment below answering this question:
Which skirt length do you like to dress your dolls in? Why?
We'll pick a winner on Monday, July 20th, and get in touch with the winner via email.
Thanks everyone for entering, and have fun with this!
For Pixie Faire,
Cinnamon
302 Comments
I like to create doll dresses that are above the knee so the dress doesn’t seem boxy or dowdy. The exception to this is when I create a ball gown; then the gown is floor length. I love the Peplum Top. I can hardly wait to sew a Peplum dress! Covering the zipper tape with a bit of fabric was terribly ingenious. Kudos to the amazing seamstress who figured a way to solve that problem. I never did until now! Thank her for me!!!!!
i prefer just above the knee and floor length skirts /dress. ;)
To me the length of the skirt depends on the fabric chosen for the project: a bold print or rich texture might need a little more length to show off the design, but small dots make for cute short skirts. I enjoy imagining how doll clothes will look sewn in the wide variety of fabrics available today.
I prefer to dress my dolls in a length just above the knee, but it really depends on the type of dress I’m making. LOVE the idea of using steam-a-seam and fabric to enclose the zipper end and think I’ll be using that from now on, as it’s so much nicer a finish than just fray check!
Depends on the pattern….mostly knee length or a little longer.