Fun with elastic thread
March 27, 2009
I forgot how much fun sewing with elastic thread can be until I made the All-Weekend Sundress from Weekend Sewing. And once I started, I couldn't stop.
I started with the skirts and then moved on to dresses. The skirts took 1/2 yard of fabric each, and the dress, slightly under a yard each. I didn't follow my own tutorial, but instead went with the directions Heather gives in Weekend Sewing. Her way is easier and better which made these pretty fast projects....about 1/2 hour per skirt, maybe an hour for the dress. The girls are saying that they will wear them. I hope so. I increased the odds by making sure that their respective garments matched their new saltwaters. Fingers crossed.
Our spring break starts today at 3:00. I'm looking forward to some down time and just hanging out. I'm not sure if I will be in this space or not. Have a great weekend and see you soon-ish.
enjoy the break with your family!
Posted by: sarah | March 27, 2009 at 09:37 AM
very, very cool. hope you get lots of sunshine and downtime for springbreak. enjoy!
Posted by: kristin | March 27, 2009 at 10:11 AM
They look so great!! Enjoy the sun, the sand, and the salt water!
Posted by: Sarah Jackson | March 27, 2009 at 10:13 AM
holy moly these are really cute!
Posted by: Tracy | March 27, 2009 at 10:13 AM
oooh. i think i need to make myself one of those skirts!
Posted by: Nichole | March 27, 2009 at 10:13 AM
I love them and I love the fabrics you used! I have a little stash of pop garden to make my girls sundressws with as well. I made my oldest a dress with courdory using the directions in weekend sewing and it turned out beautiful as well. Shirring is so easy with such impressive results. Have a great spring break
Posted by: Sarah | March 27, 2009 at 10:33 AM
I have several of those same fabrics in my cupboard waiting for the perfect thing. I always hate cutting fabric I really love. Must get over that!
You might like these green quilt blocks I found earlier this week. http://living-senses.blogspot.com/2009/03/fiber-fever.html
They made me think of you.
Posted by: heather jane | March 27, 2009 at 10:47 AM
I don't think I've ever told you that the dress you made for Astrid that's similar to these is still being worn. Astrid outgrew it as a dress but her sister now wears it as a shirt (usually over a long sleeve tee...we do live in MN afterall) and occasionally as a skirt (she just tucks the straps in). Some of the elastic stitching has started to come undone so I don't think it'll make it back into Astrid's wardrobe but still, it's one long-lived well-worn dress.
Posted by: Sara + h | March 27, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Beautiful dresses. Of course they will wear them! At least I sure hope so!
Posted by: The 6 O'Clock Stitch | March 27, 2009 at 10:49 AM
Made my first clutch purse last night.... definetly gonna move on to one of those skirts soon.... maybe before the snow melts? :)
Posted by: Trailing Mira | March 27, 2009 at 10:59 AM
wow! you have been cranking these out! i like the colors. i especially like the one with the big sunflowers on the bottom. do they make saltwaters for "big girls"?
Posted by: dani@littlefists | March 27, 2009 at 11:28 AM
nevermind. it helps to check the links posted before asking a question. i will soon have a pair of "big girl" saltwaters to match my Nora's.
Posted by: dani@littlefists | March 27, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Those are so very adorable. Makes me want a baby girl next...
Posted by: MietteLove | March 27, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Erin:
Have you ever made a skirt for yourself using the elastic thread, or just for the girls? I wondering if it would be flattering or too much material at the hip.
Posted by: Rebecca | March 27, 2009 at 11:57 AM
the dresses are gorgeous, enjoy the break!
Posted by: Andrea | March 27, 2009 at 12:27 PM
holy smokes, you are super talented and super fast. Love those dresses. It would probably take me at least a half hour to thread my dang machine.
Posted by: amyrks | March 27, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Those are so cute! I wish that my girls would still wear clothes like these.
Have a great spring break!
Posted by: tiennie | March 27, 2009 at 01:42 PM
Oh, I see some of these skirts & dresses in my daughter's future!
Posted by: Marci Simonini | March 27, 2009 at 01:53 PM
I'm really loving that striped dress so if it finds it's way to the back of the closet and never sees the light of day, send it my way.....it may not fit me exactly, but I'm sure it would fit my 8 year old! Yes so in love with the stripes!!!
Posted by: jess | March 27, 2009 at 02:05 PM
Very cute summer dresses!!
Posted by: gold | March 27, 2009 at 02:26 PM
too cute. love the trim. enjoy spring break! We slept late, gardened and saw the King Tut exhibition on ours. lots of fun :)
Posted by: Pam | March 27, 2009 at 03:26 PM
So, so cute, Erin. I'm thinking that I need an all weekend sundress :)
Posted by: beki | March 27, 2009 at 04:13 PM
So, so fun! I picked up a spool of elastic thread a few months ago, and haven't had the time to sit down and try it out (I need at least 2 hours free to try out a new project, or I get kind of panicky...and confused :) I really need to wind it on a bobbin and give it a shot- I love the skirts!
Posted by: Myrnie | March 27, 2009 at 04:22 PM
totally cute!
have a great time!
xx
Posted by: leslie | March 27, 2009 at 05:15 PM
who couldn't love those springy dresses & skirts?
enjoy your weekend!
Posted by: lucy | March 27, 2009 at 05:51 PM
Hey! I'm having the same sort of fun with the portabellopixie Claire dress. The elastic thread is fun.... I still think your's is an awesome tutorial. My friend has the Heather Ross book and I can't wait to see it!
Posted by: heather at brown robin | March 27, 2009 at 07:17 PM
Oh, those turned out darling!
Be safe friend. See you next week.
Posted by: caroline | March 27, 2009 at 07:53 PM
I want one of each! So cute - That Heather Bailey fabric is so fun - makes me itch for summer! oh wait, no, the itching is just the pollen....
Posted by: amylouwho | March 27, 2009 at 07:55 PM
Lovely work. I just read another post on this today. :)My mother used to make these dresses for me when I was young. I have never worked with elastic thread, because It sounds hard. I will have to try this for my girls. Love the fabrics you chose. You have such an eye for that.
Posted by: Molly | March 27, 2009 at 10:41 PM
I've tried the elastic thread sewing and for the life of me, it just won't gather. i already steamed liberally like Heather said but nothing happens. No gathers, no shrinking, so I'm not so sure where I went wrong here. Maybe something to do with the tension?
Posted by: amanda | March 27, 2009 at 11:12 PM
i recently made a dress with elastic thread. posted it on wednesday.
i used the same fabric as you did in the bottom right photo
the heather ross book is on my ever growing birthday ideas list.
Posted by: Nancy Cook | March 28, 2009 at 05:24 PM
Wow- love the skirts! I am definitely going to have to do this. Skirts I've done, but never with elastic thread. I need to do this soon! Need to...
Posted by: ali | March 28, 2009 at 10:39 PM
These are all adorable. Seeing them and hearing the word "Saltwater" gives me hope for Spring. Enjoy the break.
Posted by: sulu-design | March 29, 2009 at 11:29 AM
I love the skirts and the dresses!! Where did you find the elastic thread? My local Joann's doesn't carry it
Posted by: Jennifer | March 29, 2009 at 03:32 PM
Cute!
Posted by: Nell | March 29, 2009 at 05:29 PM
Lovely dresses. I ended up picking up a copy at my local craft store after seeing all the lovelies on your blog. The book is great and I'm going for the tunic first!
Posted by: AJ | March 29, 2009 at 05:47 PM
Oooh! I LOVE the sundress on the left! I wish it were mine!
Posted by: Lia | March 29, 2009 at 11:24 PM
You've tipped the scale. I am going to go buy this book!!
Posted by: Prairie Girl | March 30, 2009 at 05:15 PM
Cute, cute dresses.
Posted by: Leta | March 30, 2009 at 09:41 PM
Great skirts. I love the colours.
Posted by: Sarah | March 31, 2009 at 06:16 AM
Is there anything you can't do?!?! Oh my goodness, Your talent! I have tried knitting in the past.....did not go well. I love to sew but usually do anything that does not require a pattern- i.e. curtains, bedding, etc. I would love to try all of these projects that you have been doing. Would this book be good for a beginner? You make everything look so easy!
I love the sweater too!
Heather:)
Posted by: Heather | April 02, 2009 at 12:53 PM
I've checked out your blog several times before but never posted. Elastic thread has been tempting me for a couple months and now I have some inspiration. Thanks!
Posted by: Kari | April 02, 2009 at 07:40 PM
I made my first dress for my daughter with elastic thread. I became already a "mad shirrer". It was a big fun!To be continued :-))
Thank you so much for your tutorial!
http://kreativ-a-csalad.blogspot.com/2009/08/gumirozott-nyari-ruha.html
Posted by: krisztallit | August 09, 2009 at 08:59 AM