NAUTICAL HALTER

Featured: Selma dress

In many cases, discover your fabric as inspiration and the theme for the piece begins there. There are so many design ideas you can do with patterned fashion fabric and a bit of elastic. Take for instance, the Selma dress with an elasticized bodice and striking rope trim makes for a nautical style and fun back by Christopher Deane. Come across your own themed fabric and try this dress draft for summer.

You will need:

• approx. 2 ½ yds. [2.3m] of fashion fabric, 45″ [114 cm] wide (depends ondesired length)
• shirring elastic thread.
• 4 yds. [3.6m] of cording, 1/2″ [12mm] diameter
• Coordinating thread

MEASUREMENTS

X = bust measurement (measure just under the arms around the fullest part of the chest).

Finished length = measure vertically from the armpit to the desired hemline .

PATTERN

This is a patternless design (simple block draft). Plot and cut block layout  directly onto the fabric according to your measurements as illustrated (seam allowance is included).

CUTTING

Cut 1 front, cut 1 back, cut 4 bra cups and cut 4 loop carriers (1-1/2” [4 cm] wide strips).

ASSEMBLY

1. Make 2 self-lined bra cups. Begin by layering 2 pieces, with right sides together. Stitch across narrow top edge using ½” seam allowance. From machine stitching, measure down ½” and sew down both sides of bra piece, using ½” seam allowance. Press seams open; then turn bra cup right side out. Press bra cups flat and topstitch across the top of each bra cup below the openings. Baste the raw edges together. Set aside.

2. With FACE side up, shirr fabric panels using elastic thread in the bobbin. Begin 1” from top edge of panel and stitch across width of each panel. Do parallel rows ofshirring about ½” apart (I used the presser foot width as a guide) and continue until you have a shirred length of fabric equal to1/3 X.

For example: if the bust equals 36 inches , you would shirr 12-inch length from the top edge of the panel.

3. With right sides together, layer the fabric panels and align the shirred portions while matching the edges along the length. Pin or baste and stitch to create a tube, using ½” seam allowances. Press seams open.

Design Note: The fit of this style is not a snug one. The dress is designed to hang from the shoulder straps. You may get a closer fit by increasing the seam allowance at the side seams.

4. Hem the bottom edge of the tube with a narrow double rolled hem by turning under the bottom edge twice by ½” and press. Topstitch hemline.

5. On one panel front, find the center of the panel above the shirring and mark. Pin/baste one bra cup on either side of this mark, with right side facing. Sew across bottom edges of bra cups.

6. Make carriers 1/2″ X 3″ [12mm X 75mm]; you will need 4 of them. At the outer edges of the bra cups, fold a carrier  in half to form a loop and secure to either side of the garment. Divide the back portion between the two loop carriers into thirds. Place a loop carrier at each location and secure.

7. Serge or pink the raw edge of the top edge. Turn top edge to inside and press. Topstitch in place.

8. Cut 2 lengths of cording. Thread cord in each bra casing and gather up excess fabric to create the gathers. Knot cording together to create halter straps and thread through loop carriers.