Hello, Elegance and Elephants readers, we are thrilled to be here today! We couldn’t think of a better idea for a series, and appreciate Heidi giving us the opportunity to share a knock off with you. We first met Heidi in the Project Run and Play Flickr Sew-Along Group during season 4, and have been enamored by her mad sewing skills ever since…

Unlike previous guest bloggers, we are “sewing aunts,” rather than “sewing mommas.” We are two sisters, Ashley {frances} and Emily {suzanne} who love creating and sewing children’s clothing for our two nieces {our ‘baby’ sister’s children}.

Looking back on our short blogging ‘career,’ it is amazing how dependent we are on the many ideas ‘snagged’ from others in an effort to knock off outfits for our nieces. Now, for this series, our major problem was choosing what to knock off. So, we decided to visit a pinterest board, created for our sister {the nieces’ momma} to pin favorite things for our sewing inspiration. So, why not go with the picture she has on the board cover: the Daisy Dress, by Kayce Hughes?

Much to our chagrin, we just can’t draft a pattern. And, to complicate matters, we lack daily access our niece’s wardrobe as a starting point, without an hour commute. So, it all began with a vintage pattern – Simplicity 6324.

There were four things that needed modifying on this pattern: 1) changing the zipper in the back to an extended button placket, 2) narrowing, shortening, and adding a piped cuff to the sleeves, 3) adding a peter pan collar, and 4) adding a belt around the waist. Let’s just say, some of these modifications went better than others…but more on that later.

We followed the pattern in creating the front pleats. 

Modification #1: Before cutting the back pieces, we adjusted for the placket, which wasn’t like anything we had attempted before. In our sewing searches, we’d seen plackets that overlapped and met in the center back, but hadn’t seen a placket in which one side overlapped entirely over the other partially down the back. In order to make the placket, we extended the back right side an additional 1 1/4″ in width down the entire center back.

On the back left side, we made an extension off the main part of the dress that was 2 1/4″ wide and 8″ long (accounting for 5/8″ seams on the neck and end of placket), from the neck.

After cutting both back pieces, we sewed the darts as indicated on the original pattern pieces. Next, we began working on the left back extension area. We folded under 1/4″, then 1″, right sides together, to form the placket. Then, we stitched the very bottom of the placket together, so that when it was turned right side out it was neatly finished.

Next, still on the back left side, we marked the 5/8″ seam allowance down the entire length of the dress (underneath the placket). Then, on the righthand side, we marked a 1 7/8″ seam allowance (5/8″ seam + 1/4″ folded finish + 1″ placket area). We lined up the two lines that we drew (right sides together) and stitched from the base of the dress up to the placket extension.

Buttons were the priciest part of this knock-off. We bought them at Joann’s, but even with a coupon, they were $8! Four buttons (5/8″) were spaced evenly on the back right placket, and buttonholes were added to the left extension. Two additional buttons (13/16″) were purchased for the belt closure.

Modification #2: Our goal on this modification was to narrow, shorten, and add a piped cuff to the sleeves. To cut the sleeves, we determined the completed length needed to be 8″. We shortened the sleeve pattern piece 4″ from it’s original length to make 3/4 length sleeves. This measurement accounted for the 1″ finished cuff we added to the sleeve length on a later step.  

The cuffs were made by cutting each 9″ cuff, 3.25″ wide (5/8″ seam allowances per side + 2″ for doubled cuff) for a 1″ finished cuff. To recreate “the piped look,” we attached piping to the long edge of the cuff, right sides together, and stitched with 5/8″ seams.

Then, we attached the piped cuffs to the main part of the sleeve, right sides together, and stitched in place.

Finally, we folded the placket in half, covering the stitching line, and whipstitched in place. The finished cuff should be 1″ in width. Then, we trimmed the excess cuff to match the trajectory of the sleeve, and stitched seam in place. Modification 2…. SUCCESS!

Modification #4: Finally, it was time to finish the dress with a piped waistband…tacked flat in the front of the dress, and held in place by two 13/16″ buttons on the back of the dress. After wrapping a tape measure around our niece and overlapping the edges as we deemed appropriate {in addition to taking her waist measurement and dress measurement}, we cut two 2.5″ wide bands…31″ in length, and curved each around the edges. 

Piping was added to the right side of one of the bands and attached with 1/2″ seams. 

We sandwiched the piping between right sides of band fabric. Then, we sewed {leaving a sizeable hole}, flipped the band right side out, and topstitched the entire band in place.

The front of the dress measured 13″. We tacked the center section (13″) of the band on the front of the dress – keeping it flush against the dress. This left 17″ of band on the back to pull together and hold in place with two 13/16″ buttons. Modification 4….SUCCESS!

So, as we wrapped up the Knock Off garment {and post}, we counted our costs:
Vintage pattern = $6.50
$2 / yard pink corduroy (~1.5 – 2 yards used) = $3 – 4
Buttons (4 5/8″, and 2 13/16″) = $8
Leftover piping fabric = $0

A total savings of $71.50 {and multiple lessons learned} from the original dress….not too shabby! Now, how about that peter pan collar drafting blog series?? Could we have a second to this motion?? Anyone??

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