Adorable {& Easy} Reversible Dress Tutorial

I just realized I never finished posting about turning a basic lined jumper into a two-sided wonder!  Well, wonder, maybe not.  But absolutely adorable and sweet?  Definitely!  I hope this helps those of you who emailed me with questions!

Here is Side A

And this is Side B, ha!

The pattern called for a basic lining, but it seemed like such a great opportunity to make it reversible without {much} extra work.  I would imagine you could do this with virtually any basic jumper pattern.  I added the ruffle to give it some more visual interest, ie cuteness.

First I sewed some white Ric Rac to the "green" side on the unfinished hem, positioning it to hang over the edge.  Then I matched up the raw edges of the ruffle and green side, making sure to catch the 'RR,' much like encasing piping in a pillow, for example.

It's important to note that the ruffle was folded in half, not with a turned-up hem, which allows it to be seen (and look finished) from either side.  I top-stitched close to the 'RR' to help stabilize it and keep things from "rolling"

I did the same thing with the 'RR' on the "pink" side; however, I added it to a finished hem since the ruffle is not attached to this side.  The "pink" side must be a tad longer than the "green" side in order to hide any raw edges, but you can decide just how much you want the ruffle to show underneath.

The dress and its lining are stitched together at the neck and underarm, as well as the straps.. If you want to applique or embroider something on one or both of the pieces, do that before you sew them together.  You could probably still do it after, but I bet it would present more of a challenge.  I may applique some Easter eggs or a yellow chick on one side when I make this again for Easter.  =)

Originally I tried to sew the buttons on back-to-back, but I didn't have much luck with that.  I placed the button lower on the green side since that fabric is easier to "hide" the tiny stitches from sewing on the button; the stitches on the pink side don't show at all.

 

The very last thing to do was to sew buttons holes near the underarms for the bow.  I won't do this again, though- as cute as that bow is, it's a nuisance and rarely stays tied; plus, I don't think Isabelle likes it very much, and the outfit looks just as sweet without out.  If this pattern called for the buttons in the front, I would sew on two cute bows near the top edge of the bodice (or attach them with Velcro).  Next time!  I hope you find this little tutorial helpful!   =)

You can read more about my sewing & other domestic adventures (and mishaps) by clicking on "sewing" and "projects" on the Labels sidebar. 

Happy Sewing!!!

Sharing this tutorial with~

 Hope Studios
The Creative Itch 
 At the Picket Fence