Samantha's Dress
TRUE FACTS: Samantha's dresses all follow a specific pattern, just like someone else you may know.
Now, once you learn what you're doing, you can vary Samantha's dresses much more than Kirsten's -- you can drop the waist, you can add collars, you can mess with sleeves, so on. Let's learn the basics first.
You'll need:
cloth -- At least a half yard. You can get by with quilting cotton, but don't buy something with an obnoxious print. Can't go wrong with solid colors. Taffeta is also a good choice.
Sewing supplies -- Needle, thread, scissors, so
forth.
Cut ALL THE PIECES. I've got two wide sleeves (thank you, Dolly Dressmaker!), two sleeve cuffs, a full bodice, a band collar (9 inches by an inch, pressed in half), and a skirt cut out. I'm just doing a gathered skirt for this dress, so my skirt is ~7 inches by 20 inches.
Put the bodice together, shoulder to shoulder, right sides together. Sew the collar in too if you're feeling it. (Hey, this sure does seem like making a shirt!)
The process for the sleeves is EXACTLY THE SAME for both Kirsten and Samantha. You probably won't notice if I copy and paste the directions from Kirsten's tutorial!
Take the cuffs and press the short edges down.
Now press the long edges down.
Press them in half.
Turn the EDGE of each sleeve in twice, as if to hem it, then stitch that down. Give yourself a seam at least an inch and a half long. Gather the edge of your sleeve and insert it into one cuff. Stitch it down.
Now, add two small squares of velcro, one to the inside of the sleeve and one to the outside, directly on the cuff. Stitch it down.
Do the same to the other sleeve.
For Samantha, once you get the hang of this sleeve (it's called a mutton leg sleeve), you can alter the length of both the sleeve and the cuff.
Zip up the sides (once again, just like a shirt.)
Remember the skirt? Hem it. Gather it up so that it's the same length of the bodice, then sew it up, right sides together. You can also do pleats once you get the hang of it.