Sew…what do I wear to the party?

The day old question that we ask ourselves all the time…what do I wear? With the upcoming holidays fast approaching I feel like I have been asking myself this question even more. So when I first saw the Made for Mermaids Mama Lea pattern I knew right away that I will be using it for my party dress. In my blog today I’ll show you how I achieved this look using the Mama Lea and some minor modifications.

Start by printing the pattern and cutting your fabric. Choosing the fabric has to be the hardest part of the whole process, am I right? I went for a poly blend with a lace print that I got from Fine Fabrics in Atlanta. I also found this amazing crochet lace applique that I will be using for the back of the dress.

Now take the back piece of the bodice, lay it on the table with the right side up. Place your applique on it, matching the center, wrong side of the applique (yes, there is a wrong side) to the right side of the back bodice. Pin in place then sew it on. You will need to sew slowly so you don’t move the applique on the fabric.

Once you’ve stitched the applique on, take your scissors and cut about 1/2″ around the applique. You will now press the 1/2″ edge toward the bodice, WST. Stitch the edge in place as shown in the pictures below. Press it again to remove any possible waviness that may have occurred while stitching.

Your new back bodice is now finished.

All you have to do now is sew the dress according to the pattern instructions. Tadah! You just made yourself a gorgeous, one of a kind party dress that is not only beautiful but extremely comfortable!

Let me know in the comments if you like the dress and if you have any questions. Happy sewing!

Alex