How-to make the Zero-Waste “Grounded Dress”: 1. Place pattern on tropical weight wool, wool crepe or cotton broadcloth measuring at least 51” in width by 71” in length. 11. Repeat this same process for both sides and both sleeves.
12. To insert the drawstrings, take the fabric, fold it in half, pin it and sew it at a quarter inch. Take the edge of the fabric and flip it inside out, creating the drawstrings. If you wish, tie a knot at the bottom. 13. Take the top edge and slide the drawstring through the channel, until it reaches the top opening of the channel. When at the top of the channel, tack it in place by topstitching, in order to secure the drawstring inside of the channel. Repeat this process for both sides.
2. Cut out the pattern, either before or after you have pinned it to the fabric
3. Separate all of the pieces.
4. Starting with the front of the dress, sew the front right and the front left pieces together along the seam, until you have reached the notch at the end. (This will later be where you add the drawstrings and the channels.) Next, attach the shoulder seams to the back piece. 5. Sew the dart at the shoulder seams. Press it and top stitch it down, so that the dart turns into a decorative pin tuck. 6. Sew the side seams of the dress. Starting at the notch (where the underarm of the dress begins) all the way down to the bottom of the dress. Press it. 7. For the two sleeve pieces, fold them in half and sew together up until the notch. Sew together until halfway down, where the vent begins. 8. Going back to the body of the garment: flip the sleeve right way out, put it inside the armhole and pin all the way around. Baste the sleeve in place on the inside and sew.
14. Repeat this same process for both sleeves, for a total of six drawstrings and channels.
15. Take the binding, starting with the front of the neckline, sew right side to right side, flip it under and press. Fold it under on the underside of the fabric, (so that you cannot see the raw edge). Baste in place (enclosing the seam, and creating a nice finish). Slip stitch this along the edge.
16. Repeat this process for each strip for each part of the neckline.
17. The keyhole also uses a binding. Sew together, right side to right side, flip it under, tuck under the raw edge, press it, pin and slip stitch it. You have now completed the neckline. 18. For the hems, (these instructions are for a two inch hem, but this can be adjusted for your desired length) fold up the hem two inches, pin it, fold it up one inch, and then fold it up another inch, press it and slip stitch it. Same process for the sleeves, but the hem will only be one inch for the sleeves. 19. To add optional pocket facings, go back to when we are sewing the body of the dress. Before sewing the side seam of the dress together, attach the pocket bags to the desired place. Sew them together as you sew the side seams.
9. You should now have the complete shell of the dress, with the front pieces, the back piece, and the sleeves.
10. To add the drawstring channels, start with the front drawstring channel fabric (at the bottom of the slit on the front body of the dress). Take these two channels and sew them together, right side to right side at half an inch, starting at the top of the vent and going all the way down to the bottom. Next, press the seam open, understitch and flip under. Move over half an inch and top stitch, in order to keep the channel in place.
Congratulations, you have just made a garment without wasting a scrap!
74 FM/AM FASHION MAGAZINE AT MARIST
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