Good morning, wonderful people of the Needlework Community, and welcome yet again to another recreation episode of "The Inspiration, The Recreation." Today, I am very excited to share with you all a Sunday dress I recreated: the monochrome bubu dress.
Although the original version wasn't monochrome, I decided to make mine that way because I love to spice things up a bit. Also, I think I nailed this recreation because the compliments I kept getting were just so beautiful!
Without wasting any more of our time, let’s get right into the making of this dress. To recreate this dress, all you need is:
- Two yards of crepe fabric (one yard for each color)
- Matching thread(s)
- Hemming gum for the neckline
- A matching zipper (preferably one that matches the lighter color)
Measurements Used:
- Length
- Bust: 35 inches
- Waist: 29 inches
- Hips: 40 inches
- Arm/Sleeve length: 8 inches
Points:
- Shoulder to bust point: 10 inches
- Shoulder to waist: 17 inches
- Shoulder to hips: 23 inches
If you notice, for this tutorial, I've added points measurements, which I don't think I've ever added before. It's not that I didn't use them, but it's just one of those very important measurements fashion designers never emphasize enough. The importance of getting these points cannot be understated, especially for the nature of this dress. Also, you'll notice I didn't include shoulder measurement, because with time I've realized how unnecessary it really is.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Step One: Fabric Preparation
Spread out both fabrics, one on top of the other, on a flat surface evenly. Make sure to note the longer part to use as your length so you manage fabric appropriately. Once you've ensured the fabric is evenly spread out, fold it into two. This way, you will notice your fabric is well folded in four places already.
Step Two: Neckline Measurement
Measure out your neckline. Note that this neckline will be used for your back neckline. When you separate your fabric, you can go ahead to make your front neckline deeper but not wider, so it is advisable to use the popular 3x3 pattern for your neckline.
Step Three: Sleeve Length and Shoulder Slope
Place your tape at the end of your neckline and measure your sleeve length that is, how long you want your sleeves to be. I just measured out 20 inches in case I need to make any trimming or adjustments, which you will surely need, trust me. After measuring out your sleeve measurement, go ahead and come down a generous 1.5 inches and draw your shoulder slope.
Step Four: Cutting the Fabric
After determining what you want your neckline and sleeve length to be, you can now begin to cut them out. Curve out your neckline, and from the end of your sleeve measurement, draw a straight line down to the end and cut out your excess fabric. The last thing you need to cut is the middle part. You basically iron it out and slash it so you can add each color to the other.
Step Five: Sewing the Dress
This is the fun part: sewing! After separating the fabric and adding the coffee brown and chocolate brown as one piece, I go ahead to sew them together by half an inch. But before you sew, this would be the best time to extend your neckline if you want the front neckline to be deeper than the back, which I did.
Note that at no point did I leave out allowance for the joining of the front or even the zipper allowance. This is why measuring your sleeve length with extra inches is necessary.
Now, the same allowance you used to hold the front part together is the exact allowance you would use to sew part of your back together and attach your zip. By now, you're probably thinking, "So she attached her zip with half an inch?" And the answer is yes, I did. After adding your zipper, the last part you want to close is to your shoulder, so do that.
Step six: Finishing Touches
After joining the front part and adding your zipper, this is the most critical part. This is the part where you fold or hem all your edges evenly. Place the front and back together, measure your points on the front part of your fabric, and draw out your shape. Using their matching color of thread, close them. As for the "draw" part of your dress, that is, the knee area, your measurement should be your hip measurement minus one inch.
And just like that, you have yourself a nice monochrome bubu dress! Hope you loved it as much as I loved making it. Thank you once again for reading through. I still remain your one and only enthusiastic fashion designer, 