How to make a prairie dress

Here is the link to the most lovely prairie dress! The bodice has a high neckline with a collar and goes down to the waist. It buttons up in the front and has full-length gathered sleeves. The skirt goes to the floor and has the choice to do tacks at the bottom. I put elastic in the waistband to make it fit better. Also another thing, the fabric is a flat sheet I found at the thrift store! Didn't it turn out pretty? Try it out Jo-ann is having a sale on Mccall's patterns.
http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m4548-products-6154.php?page_id=915

How to make a full length apron

Here is how to make a simple full length apron. All it is is a bunch of rectangles sewn together so it's super easy. You could even do it by hand if you wanted to. Also, the dress underneath it is the same thing as the red one I posted before. (I wore it so I could show you. :-)

STEP 1
First off cut out all your pieces. Apron body (Cut 1): W 35" by L 30" Apron Chest (Cut 2): W 11" by L 12" Shoulder Straps (Cut 2): W 4" by L 20" Tie (Cut 2): W 4" by L 80"
W= Width   L= Length

STEP 2
Now we are going to prepare our pieces. Hem one width and both lengths of your apron body and gather the unhemmed side. With right sides together sew both lengths of your apron chest together and turn right side out. Turn the length sides in about a half an inch of your shoulder straps and fold in half. Sew along the edge.\

 STEP 3
Take your apron chest and fold under a half an inch of one of the widths. Pin each should strap to either side of the folded down side and stitch from one end to the other securing shoulder straps in place and "top-stitching" the center.

STEP 4
Matching the centers of your apron chest and one of the ties sew with right sides together. Do the same with the gathered side of your apron body. With right sides together sew the shoulder straps to the tie you just used about 5 or 6 inches away from the apron body.

STEP 5
Press down all the sides of your second tie about .5 an inch and pin to the wrong side of the tie that is sewn to the apron chest and body. Sew the edges all the way around.

Try it on to make sure it fits okay and you have a lovely full-length apron!

Prairie Dress

 M6140 | Misses'/Girls' Colonial Costumes | View All | McCall's Patterns
Here is my very first prairie dress! I did it last weekend and it turned out just wonderful! I wear it all the time. Even to The Home Depot or wherever. Above is the McCall's pattern link that I used. You can get it Jo-Ann right now they are on sale for $1.99. Please try it and send me a picture of yours! (Put it in comments)

How to make a smock dress

Here is how to make a really pretty sun dress that I think is perfect for the beautiful weather we've been having. I used an old flat sheet of mine to make this dress. It saved the time and money of going to the fabric store and I didn't have to do a hem because I used the edge of the sheet. It's as easy as 123.. but don't forget 4!
*Extra item: Elastic thread*

1) First off you need to determine how big your rectangle needs to be. This is the body of your dress. Start by measuring the top of your chest down to the length you want your dress to be. This is the length of you rectangle. Next measure the width, measure the largest part of your bust and add 10 inches. Now take your measurements and mark them on your sheet. Cut it out.

2) Now let's do the straps. With the dress in the picture I took three different pieces of fabric 2" wide, and braided them. After I braided it I measured how long they should be by putting them over my shoulders.

3) Next we are going to smock our dress, but first we need to hem the top of our dress body. Do a small little hem. Now we need to take an empty bobbin and wind our elastic thread on it. You have to do it by hand because there cannot be any tension in the elastic. Now with the right side of your fabric up begin to stitch right along the hem. After you get all the way to the end go back to the beginning and stitch the same way but half inch away from the last seam. Keep going until you have 16 or so of those rows.

4) With right sides together sew the two edges together. And put it on to make sure it fits and decide where the straps should go. Pin them and take off your dress then stitch on the straps matching up the seam with the hem seam.
Try on your dress to make sure everything fits right again and enjoy!