Adding a Woven Ribbon and Bow to the Sadie Bubble Skirt
Lately I have been keen on incorporating vintage style clothing into my wardrobe. True vintage patterns are often difficult to work with as they have minimal instructions and typically come in a single size. Many are also out of print. But the biggest drawback for me is that they are printed on thin tissue paper - and I am a projector sewist.
In my previous blog, I described how I reinvented a mid-1950’s Fit and Flare Dress using Ellie and Mac Patterns. I loved it so much that I decided I wanted to continue with the trend of adding elements from the past into my modern clothing.
I enjoy visiting museums that curate fashion displays. I absolutely love the Victoria and Albert Museum in England as well as the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC. The dresses they display “reflect fashion trends, pop culture history, and their wearers”. The garments we wear blend art and expression with form and function.
The Patsy Cline Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, was a tribute to the legendary country singer’s artifacts and personal belongings - including her incredible wardrobe. One dress in particular caught my eye. It was a sleeveless green gingham dress that had a ribbon woven onto the skirt and finished with a great big bow. As soon as I saw it I knew that it had to be recreated - but with my own unique style.
Credit: Patsy Cline Museum
Credit: Patsy Cline Museum
In the following tutorial I will explain how to create the woven sash with a bow using the Sadie Bubble Skirt. It may look complicated but it’s actually simple. If you can make buttonholes, you are well on your way to making this vintage inspired skirt!
What you will need:
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Sadie Bubble Skirt
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Two fabric rectangles that are 6” x WOF
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Ruler
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Marking Pen
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Scissors
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Sewing Machine and thread
Instructions:
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Cut out the front outer skirt using the Sadie Bubble Skirt Pattern. It is important to note that the following steps should be done before adding the liner.
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Cut out two rectangles that are 6” (or more) by the width of your fabric.
If your fabric is less than 45” in length you can sew together strips to create a longer piece.
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Sew the sash by folding the rectangle in half, right sides together and stitching on the long edge. Leave the short ends open.
Turn your sash right side out and press with the seam positioned at the back centre..
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Sew the bow in a similar manner as the sash. Fold the rectangle in half, right sides together. My fabric is very prone to fraying so I’ve finished it with my serger prior to sewing.
Take your ruler and draw a diagonal line at the short ends.
Sew along the diagonal line, turning at the point and along the long edge. When you come to the middle leave a 5-6” opening for turning. Continue straight along the other side and down the second diagonal. Cut off the excess.
Turn the bow right sides out, close the opening and press.
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Place your sash on top of the skirt. You now need to determine how you want to angle the sash. Take a few moments to try out different positions before you commit to a design. The sash will start about 4” from the hem and end at the high hip. Keep in mind that the bottom two inches of the skirt will be tucked underneath to create the bubble effect.
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Buttonholes are the secret to creating the woven sash effect. Using your sash as a guide, you will mark a series of 1.5” buttonholes. You can make the buttonholes bigger if your machine has the ability to make a manual buttonhole.
The first and last button holes should be about an inch from the seam. Evenly divide the space between them into pairs of buttonholes. As a general rule, each pair should be approximately 5 inches away from each other. On my skirt I had a shorter spacing between the final pair of button holes to the single one near the high hip. This really isn’t an issue as the bow will cover it.
Add a square of interfacing behind each marking. Sew the buttonholes with matching thread.
Use a seam ripper to open up your buttonholes and continue with small scissors.
If you are afraid of buttonholes - don’t be! It’s a matter of practice. And to that end, I would highly recommend that you practice on scraps of fabric before you start on your skirt.
Some blogs to help you out with buttonholes:
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Now you can thread the sash through the buttonholes. Baste the raw edges to the sides of your skirt.
The back of your skirt will look like this image:
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Tie the bow using your preferred method and secure to the skirt with hand stitching.
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Continue sewing your Sadie Bubble Dress until it is completed.
Written by Sarah Callahan
