Peek-a-boo Stripes

 Do you ever have one of those projects that just didn't go quite how you hoped? A while back I pinned this I know a knit would have been ideal, but sewing together stripes with knit never goes very well they get stretched and warped,and finding striped knit in big bold stripes was near impossible, so I went with cotton. Now, I LOVE the top, I mean whats not to love about big bold stripes and peek-a-boo pops of color? It is just not as drapey (yep a made up word) as I would like.

 It is however nice and full which makes it comfortable and easy to wear, and nice and breezy for hot summer days.(why the scowl? Jude was coming near)

 Made in some patriotic colors so it will be perfect for summer holidays. And since it is virtually a pillowcase dress you know it is super easy. (this also marks the first ever pillowcase dress I have made)

So you want to start by making the front and back rectangles for the dress. I cut out strips that were 20 inches by 3.5 inches. I cut 4 navy for the front and 4 for the back and then I cut 3 white for the front and 3 white for the back. I sewed them together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance which left me with a rectangle that was 20 inches across and 21.5 inches in length. (2 total one front one back)

With the back I serged and pressed all the seams. You could top stitch them if you like.

Then I cut the front piece in half down the middle.

Sewing right sides together I added my strip of color pop and sewed it along the side.

Then I added the other front piece and sewed it right sides together down the side as well.

I pressed it flat and top stitched the seam.

Then I folded the front and back pieces in half and cut the arm opening. (you can use a shirt as your guide if you need to know how deep to cut the opening, or you can guess :)

Next add some box pleats to the front so the red is no longer showing at the top. Box pleats are just pleats from both sides that meet in the middle.

Sew the pleats down along the edge for a few inches.

Then add two more box pleats. on either side. Then sew them down the same way.

Now do the same for the back piece adding three box pleats starting in the middle and then moving out.

Sew them down the same way.

Now with right sides together sew the front and back together by sewing down the sides. Match up the seams as you go.

Next sew bias tape along the arm openings so the bias tape sandwiches the top.

Then you can either serge the top edge or fold it under 1/4 inch (I serged it) then fold it under about an inch to create a casing. Then sew in place along the bottom edge.

Then slip some ribbon in through the casing and there you go. Cute little peek-a-boo top done.

With yummy pleats that make it crisp and full. So even if things turn out differently they still turn out great :)