PIPE-iddy-do-dah! PIPE-iddy-ay . . .

. . . My-oh-my, what a wonderful way . . . to embellish my daughter's latest uniform jumper.

As you know, SweetPea and Cowboy are required to wear uniforms at the school they attend. So, to make the sewing and wearing a bit more fun, using the Oliver + S Tea Party Dress (jumper) pattern, I added some embellishments and a "secret" lining. (SweetPea picked out "Sleeping Beauty" as the fabric for the lining - let's just hope she doesn't decide to use it as the subject for her next show-n-tell.)

I used a designer cotton sueded twill fabric throughout. The size 5 runs quite short for SweetPea's height, so I added six inches to the overall length by splicing the pattern and adding length in the middle. I probably could have gotten away with only adding four inches, but this way she will be able to wear it for a longer time period - I hope.

Using the narrower bias cutting lines on my rotary cutting mat as a guide, I cut several long strips of bias twill (strips were long enough to do each piped section of the garment). Next, folding the bias in half and inserting a narrow cord, I stitched my own piping to match the dress fabric with the Narrow Zipper Foot Attachment. Stitching right up next to the cording was quite easy! Just be a bit more careful with your fingers so as not to get them caught under the needle.

Because the Tea Party dress calls for a 1/2 inch seam and the piping ends up being only a 1/2 inch wide, I needed to off-set it by 1/8 inch and then basting on the 3/8 inch line. THEN, I was able to stitch the two sections together with a 1/2 inch seam allowance which reveals just the right amount of piping on the finished garment.

To finish the thick twill seams and to prevent shifting of all the layers, I did have to use a walking foot attachment. I also needed to grade all five fabric layers of the seam. This took quite a bit of time, but the finished result was well worth it, and my Singer Featherweight Sewing Machine top-stitched through all layers perfectly.

Being very, very careful in the pattern cutting process and then stitching oh-so-slowly for accuracy I was able to use a novelty print for the upper bodice lining that wouldn't be seen from the outside.


SweetPea loves this feature.


I accented with a coordinating pink polka dot for the hem-facing.

Now... to make another one.