The Assembly Line: Tulip Dress

Do you have any fabric in your stash that you're afraid to cut into because you find it so beautiful and fear that you might ruin it? That is how I felt about this fabric. I finally turned it into another version of The Assembly Line's Tulip Dress and I could not be more pleased with how it looks and fits. It's one comfortable dress and it has pockets.  Win. Win!    

The Fabric

This fabric has been in the stash for many moons. Looking back on the blog it appears that it entered my stash back in 2016. I actually made a dress and matching jacket out of some of the yardage. It is a medium weight twill weave 100 % cotton that I found in the home décor department at a local fabric store. I picked it up for a song when it when on sale in the discounted section after swooning over it for quite some time before hand. It's pretreated with a tumble in the washing machine and dryer followed by a steam pressing before hitting the cutting table. 

The Pattern

The pattern is a tried and tested (TNT) and this is the forth version made with this pattern. I know all the changes that I like this final version to have incorporated into the design. 

1. The very first version of this dress, I shortened it. It was fine although I did wish that I didn't shorten it as much as I did at the time.  For this version, I added back an inch and a half to create the hem length that I prefer.  
2. There's 1/4" added to the seam allowances so I could sew a 5/8" seam allowance.  
3. The bodice pieces are cut in a size medium from the shoulder and neckline until the under arm point.  From here, I graded from a size medium to a large. Although, I do appreciate the extra ease, I could easily work with a size medium throughout.  
4. I did not add 1/4" to the waistline seams.  Here I sewed a 5/8" seam allowance and then took in another 3/8", the width from the needle to the edge of my walking foot.  
5. The height of the pockets to were raised to line up two and a half inches from the raw edge of the skirt pieces.  
6. The facing pieces weren't used, instead the neckline, sleeve hems and the skirt hem were finished with bias tape.  

I have to take the time to say a word about The Assembly Line's "Detailed Sewing Instruction" booklet that accompanies this pattern. The instructions are excellent and well thought out. They are indeed detailed as suggested in the title.  I love the time, consideration and space taken in the booklet that addresses how to sew "nice darts."  It is suggestions like this and advice on pressing that make these instructions stand out. It also makes this a good pattern for a beginner even though there are several darts and a zipper to contend with, the instructions are a good guide for beginners to complete this project.  

Project Details

Seams:  2.6 straight stitch

Seam Finish:  Serged interior seams, bias finished hems and neckline.  

Tips:  Press open your zipper before sewing it in place.  I also like to use basting tape instead of pins when securing the zipper in place before sewing.  

Fabric:  3 metres

Zipper:  55 cm invisible zipper

Basting Tape:  1.10 metres

Seam binding:  3.6 metres

Pattern:  The Tulip Dress by The Assembly Line

Additional Tools & Supplies:  Flip chart paper, marker, cutting table, measuring tape, measuring gauge, pins, pin cushion, paper scissors, fabric scissors, tailor's chalk, thread clippers, sewing machine, walking foot, regular zipper foot, invisible zipper foot, serger, threads, seam ripper, tweezers and tea.  

Stay Safe and Happy Sewing!