Between the ruffles lace and intricate peplums a Baby Lock serger is the perfect machine to use for making a flower girl dress. Follow this serger tutorial to make a cute dress for the adorable little flower girl in your life. It will be a day and a dress she’ll always remember. Download printable instructions.
Materials:
- 4 cones Madeira® Aerolock Serger Thread to match fabrics
- 1 spool Madeira® Decora 6 Decorative Thread (coordinating)
- Madeira® Aerofil Polyester Sewing Thread to match fabrics
- Free downloadable pattern from The Cottage Mama
- 12” to 16” invisible zipper to match (depending on child size)
- Fabric - amounts will vary with child's size
Tools:
- Baby Lock® Serger
- Baby Lock® Sewing Machine
- Baby Lock® invisible zipper foot for sewing machine (ESG-IZF)
Steps:
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For fabric 3T: 3 to 4 yards for bodice skirt and peplums 22” for sash 1.25 to 1.5 yards of tulle 1.5 to 2.5 yards of (OPTIONAL) lace overlay. Lining is optional.
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Use pattern for assistance but account for the added fabric of the peplums and the added skirt length.
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I used an ivory silk dupioni for the bodice skirt and peplums and a coordinating champagne color for the satin sash lace overlay and decorative stitching.
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I did not line the skirt and I used my gown fabric as a bodice lining but if you desire a different skirt lining purchase the same amount as the lace.
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Using the bodice pattern and instructions from the selected pattern find your skirt dimensions.
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Measure around the belly and multiply that by 2 3 or 4 (depending on your fabric weight; I multiplied by 4 with silk dupioni).
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Divide this by 2 and that is your FRONT SKIRT and BACK SKIRT WIDTH each.
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To find skirt length you might construct the bodice first and measure from the bodice waist seam to desired length and add 1” for seam and hem allowances.
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Cut bodice and lace overlay. To cut your skirt front and back cut two rectangles the same size with your desired skirt length by desired gather width.
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Cut skirt back into two equal pieces (center back seam needed for zipper insertion).
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Repeat for lining and lace overlay (scalloped lace will not need hemming).
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The peplums are semi-circles. To cut both at the same time fold two layers each of fabric and tulle in half.
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Measure from a central point to the desired skirt length measurement. Mark and cut along the curve and top edge (don’t cut the fold).
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To cut the sash use a rotary cutter and cut two strips 8” wide by approx. 58” long and cut one 5” strip for the front sash.
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Iron in half pretty sides out line up and cut the front sash down to the same width as the front bodice.
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Assemble BODICE according to the pattern instructions. If you are adding lace overlay baste the lace to the fabric first with a ¼” allowance around the front and back pieces then assemble.
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After bodice has been sewn to lining press and serge each center back seam (outer to lining) and the lower edge of the bodice.
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To assemble the SKIRT serge the side seams of your skirt layers and serge the center back seam leaving a 4” to 6” opening at the top.
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Compare the zipper length to center back of bodice and skirt to determine how much to leave open on the skirt.
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Make a clip at the end of the zipper seam opening on the skirt serge each side of the zipper opening separately. Hem layers that are in need of one.
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Pin all skirt layers together. Using a 4-thread overcasting stitch with a stitch length of 4 serge the top edge of the skirt.
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Gather your skirt up by pulling the 2 needle or short threads in your serger thread tail.
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Let’s work on the PEPLUMS. For each peplum pin one tulle semi-circle to one fabric semi-circle pretty sides together.
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Serge the entire curved edge (not the straight top edge). Turn right sides out and understitch your seam allowance to the tulle layer. Press fabric side.
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Serge the upper two layers together on each peplum. Baste lines where you’ll be placing your decorative serging.
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Baste your first line an inch from the curved edge of the peplum and 9. stitch a second line an inch above the first line.
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Don’t stitch on your serger stitching along the top edge of the peplum. That will be our gathering line.
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Set your serger to a cover stitch with the Decora 6 thread in the Cover Looper. Adjust stitch length as desired.
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Make sure the underside of your project is facing up while serging because the decorative stitch will serge underneath.
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Stitch along your basting lines making sure to take your first stitch just after the serger stitch along your top edge.
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Gather the top edge of each peplum with those two serger needle threads as you did before.
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To create the SASH fold and pin your 8” strips down the long edge pretty sides together. Cut an angle on the end of each strip.
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Sew the long edge and the angled end with a ¼” seam allowance. Press seam open (don’t crease edges). Turn right sides out and press.
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Open your pressed front sash and mark a small line about ¾” up from the lower edge.
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Shorten the sash ties at the raw edge according to the length needed for the child wearing the dress. Serge those short ends and gather.
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Pin the gathered end of the sash (seam facing down) between your marks and pressed crease on the front sash.
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After pinning both baste the gathered edge down to hold in place.
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Fold the front sash in on itself pretty sides together. Stitch both side seams of the front sash (with the gathered sash ties sandwiched in between).
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Pull right sides out and press. Compare the front sash to the front bodice and take in if necessary so that the side seams are even.
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Serge the lower edges of the front sash together. Baste the front sash to the bodice front.
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Let’s sew this dress together shall we?! Pin peplums to the skirt matching peplums at the center front of the skirt and at the back.
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Leave a 5/8” seam allowance for the zipper (you may need to adjust your gathers). Baste the peplums to the skirt.
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Pin the bodice to the skirt pretty sides together (making sure that the back sash ties don’t get in the seam).
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Stitch the waistline seam; it may be a little thick so take your time.
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ZIPPER time! Press your invisible zipper teeth open. Line your invisible zipper up with your seam line. Stitch zipper in place using your invisible zipper foot.
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The top end of the zipper gets tucked back behind the zipper allowance lining and stitched down. Add a hook and eye if necessary.
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