Liz showed you yesterday her story book characters (I happen to love the one of Simon laughing…) and today I am showing you mine, along with the tutorial for “when you don’t want to use a zipper.” I think I made it sound more magical than what it really is…but I will share it today.
One of my favorite books growing up were the Madeline series…I think because even from an early age I was obsessed with all things French. I even read them again in French in high school.
So, here is my modern-day Madeline…..
I used the same vintage pattern as last week, changed the collar a bit to make it bigger, and then made
the necktie and headband to wear with it.
Onto the zipper. Some sewers love to put in zippers and others don’t. I am in the don’t category. But I do put them in on nice dresses or skirts….but only the invisible kind (with an invisible zipper foot.) But play dresses….when most of the time I am using fabric that costs about the same as a zipper….I don’t bother. ‘Cause in my mind they are meant to be play dresses and not fancy.
It’s kind of a modified neck placket (I don’t use facing)…and here’s what I do.
Step 1
Add on to your back seam allowances. I usually do 1 inch instead of 5/8ths.
Step 2
Measure down about 5 or 5 1/2 inches from the top. (Big enough to get a head through.) Mark with a pin.
Step 3
Sew up the back seam to your marking pin. Then serge or zig zag each seam SEPERATELY.
Step 4
Cut a piece of elastic cording and pin into the left seam. then topstitch the placket like the picture below. Go over the part with your elastic cording a couple of times to make sure it is sewn in well.
Sew a button onto the right side of the placket and you are done.
(Although don’t look too closely…..cheap thread and I were having a battle…and the cheap thread won. Another reason to buy good thread…but I didn’t have any that matched as well.)
So cute! I was thinking of doing a modern day Madeline jacket for the Once Upon a Thread theme – those iconic blue and yellow jackets and dresses were one of the first things that came to my mind. This came out great!
I’m glad you posted your no zipper instructions…I just cut out a dress for Grace that needs a zipper but I’m going to try this instead.
Love this! So cute!
Thank you for sharing this tutorial!! I linked to it on Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://simplesimonandco.blogspot.com/2011/03/modern-madeline-and-zippers.html
–Anne
Adorable! Thanks for sharing.
Amanda Rose
http://sewmuchtosay.blogspot.com
love it!!!! how did you make the headband?
Love this! How did you make the headband – do you have a pattern?
I used the accuquilt to cut 5 inch circles and then folded them up in quarters and hot glued them to one of the 5 inch circles…..just keep repeating until it is big and puffy!