My Funny Valentine - Ruffled Top/Dress - Tutorial

Okay bear with me, I will do my best to give a tutorial atleast someone can follow, and I will promise to try and not be tooooo wordy!

What you need:
Scissors or my fav, a rotary cutter/self healing mat
Clear plastic ruler
Fabric - I used a linen for the outfit, but it would be perfect for a light cotton as well...I can smell summer time!
Thread
Sewing Machine

First, always wash and dry your fabric, this does two things, it removes the stuff they put on fabric to make it stiff...kind of a invisible coating of something....I do not use fabric softener for this step...but also it allows for any shrinkage that might occur when washing....

There is a little trick I learned, if you have a serger, serge the raw edges of the fabric before washing to eliminate that rat's nest you get...I am not sure if a zigzag stitch does the same, but it is worth a try.

1: Measure your model:
you need to measure the chest around, and the length you want the tunic and the length you want the bodice.
My measurements for my 2yo were:
Chest 20"
Bodice 4"
Total length 14"

So now to cut the fabric, I added 1.5" to the length and 1" to the lengths..
My cuts were:
21.5" x 5" for bodice lining
40" x 11" for the gathered bottom of the tunic
21.5" x 9" for the pleated outer of the bodice
and then for all the ruffles I did length x 2 by 3", wellll only 65" x 3" for the bottom bc gathering 80" of fabric is ridiculous!
Here is a pic...

 Okay, press bottom ruffle in half width wise, and do the same with the top ruffle.  Using a long stitch, without back stitching run a continuous stitch along the open side.  Next gather it by pulling on the bobbing thread.  This is very time consuming and if you need more explanation on how to gather...go here!

Now it should look like this all over:

Next, press the outer bodice piece in pleats how you wish until it measures 21.5" by 5" then lay the bodice liner face up, the ruffle inside folded edge towards the middle, then the pleated bodice outer right side down....like a sandwich here is a pic...

Turn right side out, press and top stitch around the same sides.  Next, take the bottom ruffle you gathered unil it was approx 40" long.

Pin it to the bottome edge of the skirt bottom right sides facing and the raw edges together.  Sew it on, then turn and top stitch it down (see Below)

The next step is to do another running stitch to gather the top side of the "skirt" portion, do this and gather it until it is the same length as your bodice.

Then, you guessed it, pin this time the bodice and skirt right sides facing, sew, and press, and topstitch!

Your top should now look like the pic above.  A long rectangle of deliciousness.  To finish it up, just fold right sides together, sew from the bottom up to just where the bodice hits the skirt.  Then add a button closure with an elastic loop on the opposite side.  For the straps I just made some double fold bias tape and after trying it on my model, sewed on strip on the front and back of each shoulder!  I hope you enjoy, and if you have any questions or something is unclear, please ask!!! I love to help!  I think I am going to try this in a strech jersey soon to see if I can make something similar for myself!

NOW GO GIVE YOUR NEW TOP A TWIRL!