Hello!! (^o^)/  For the past few days this week, I have been working on sewing this dress!  It has wide bell sleeves, like a peasant top, and I decided to make it out of solid pink fabric and a beautiful pink rose print fabric, which made it look like a garden party dress~  I’M SO IN LOVE WITH IT!!

It is not a Lolita dress because the skirt is not long or full enough, however I am considering adding a wide ruffle trim to the bottom of it to add several inches (although even then it still will not be full enough to accommodate a petticoat).

I also made a wide headband out of the pink fabric, which is elasticized at the back, and a big bow from the rose fabric, which is attached with a pin on the back so it can be removed from the headband and pinned elsewhere.

(I’m not wearing makeup in this picture – usually I put at least eyeliner on but for these I was too lazy! oAo)

Now for my progress shots!!

Simplicity 4046

The pattern I used to make this dress is Simplicity 4046, which as you can see is actually meant for Halloween costumes!!  I was smitten with the sleeves in dresses B and C (which are the same dress, just accessorized differently) and was struck with inspiration to turn this costume pattern (minus the corseted skirt piece) into something that can be worn for Summer garden parties or mall crawling or chillaxing at home or any other occasion~

Getting the pieces all cut out is a process all on its own!
I like to outline my pattern pieces with marker or highlighter before cutting them –
it just makes them a bit more visible for ease of cutting!

The first couple of beginning steps are my favorite,
because you get overcome with this excited feeling of
“Whoa, I’m making something!  Look at these pieces!
I put them together!!  I DID THAT!!”

The bodice is starting to come together,
and there is some elastic through the channels at the top.

The bodice complete!

Sleeves!!  The elastic is not fed through the middle channels yet.

Here is the bodice and dress piece not attached yet,
but the sleeve on the left is shown with its elastic done, and gosh, it was a process.

I had some tedium feeding elastic through the channel
between the sleeve and flounce pieces.  But it turned out that
my frustration was due to my own error, and once I corrected it
and followed the instructions more closely, it was sooo much easier.
Read the directions, kids!!

The dress is done!
When I saw how my photo of the dress melded in with the quilt background,
I took another picture, this time on the bed, where it would stand out better:

Also in this picture are a headband and some bows!!
(One bow is on the headband and the other is in the middle of the bodice.)
I will share the headband tutorial another day soon,
and I suppose I can do one for the bows as well.

Update: Here is that headband tutorial!

I just made them from rectangular pieces of the rose fabric,
and made one with tails and one without.

They have pins on the back, so they can be removed and rearranged
however I like!
Of course, the headband and these bows can also be worn
with completely different outfits if I want to!

And the dress is done!!  I love the sleeves soooo much.
I can see myself swinging my arms around as I walk while wearing this,
just because making the fabric flow around is fun!!

If I ever do add that ruffle to the bottom,
I will for sure share those pictures as well!!

Until then, look forward for more hime lifestyle sewing projects!!

Friday, June 19th, 2015   3:30 pm
Tags: diy, himegyaru, sewing, tutorial.
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