Girl's Bicycle Dress From T Shirt

Based on Girl's Bicycle Dress From T Shirt by KMOM14
This is another variation of the "Warhol Dress" by Dana from "Made" (http://www.danamadeit.com/2008/07/the-warhol-dress-pattern.html)
that I am making for donation to Dress A Girl Around The World, a non-profit organization that distributes the dresses to little girls around the world that do not have any. I was able to complete this dress in around 3 hours watching television and the cost to make was under $3.

Free pattern and instructions from Dana from "Made"
Printer and paper
T-Shirt (Women's large-had been a promotional t-shirt for a local radio station "Froggy 106.7")
1/2 yard of coordinating fabric
Iron on rose (optional)
Scissors
Iron
Sewing machine and thread
Straight pins
Saftey Pin (for turning the tie inside out)

I started out with the t-shirt and I folded it in half, making sure the design was centered.

I used the base dress pattern and added 1/2 inch to each side to make it a Size 3-4. Instead of positioning the pattern at the bottom and using the t-shirt hem as the hem of the dress, I positioned it as close to the neckline as I could as I wanted to use the design on the t-shirt. I pinned through all layers and cut out the dress and marked the gathering lines with a slight cut at the edge.

I stitched the gathering lines and gathered and pressed under at the armholes 1/2 inch and top stitched in place using contrasting green thread as indicated in the original instructions.

Another modification made was instead of sewing the ties directly to the dress I sewed a piece of the contrasting fabric that was 3 inches tall and around 1/2 inch shorter than width of the dress (1/2 seam allowance).

I turned the edges under on each side and turned the edge under 1/4 of an inch under on the open edge and pressed under and pressed the seam up toward the contrasting fabric. I pinned the pressed edge to the edge of the seam from the top side and top stitched along the edge on the front side catching the fabric underneath.

For the ties, I cut two pieces of fabric 26 1/2 inches long and 3 inches wide of the contrasting fabric. I sewed the two pieces, right sides together, using 1/2 inch seam. I then pressed in half, right sides together and sewed along the edge using 1/2 inch seam and used a safety pin to turn right sides out.

I then threaded each edge through the opening at the left shoulder of the dress and the bow is tied on the right.

For the ruffle at the hem I cut two pieces - both 3 inches tall; one was the length of the fabric, 44 inches and another was 16 inches for a total of 60 inches for the ruffle.

First I pressed a hem up 1/2 inch from the bottom edge and stitched 1/4 of an inch from the edge.

Next, I made a gathering stitch the entire length up to 1/2 inch away from each edge and gathered the material. Then, right sides together, stitch the piece together.

Then, pinning with the seam at one edge of the dress, right sides together, evening out the gathers, pin then stitched 1/2 inch from the edge all the way around.

As I noticed there was a slight imperfection below the logo when it was completed, I decided to use an iron-on rosette that I purchased at Walmart that was on clearance for 50 cents as it reminded me a bit of a lilly pad, even thought it is red.

I do have some other craft projects in the works, but have been focusing on the dresses as I plan to mail them out in bulk to Dress A Girl Around The World.