The Indigo Dress

First you need to scour your fabric. This is extremely important for the dyeing process.  Dry and iron your fabric if necessary. I laid out my fabric and then laid the pattern pieces over it. I then cut out rectangles for each pattern piece. I folded each piece in an accordion fan with a span of 4". I then foled that in triangles in a way that exposes most ends for better color effects. I ended up with a triangle and bound it with strings and elastics.

Prepare the indigo vat. We had a 6 tsp Student Vat , I dipped my pieces in once for about 15 minutes. 

Leave you pieces to dry, be sure to unfold because it will take a very long time to dry. I unfolded after 48 hours and hung to dry 6 hours. Now that its dry you need to soak the pieces in  1/4 cup white vinegar, 4 L water . This will help brighten and fix the colour. 

After your fabric is clean and dry, press out any wrinkles. Lay fabric out and position your pattern. try to line up any patterns, make sure the direct of grain and designs are the same. 

Cut out pattern. Sew all darts on front, back and the skirt (if any.)

Sew side seams together. Bind with bias tape for a clean edge. I used single fold, narrow tape. 

      

Do the same for the shoulder seams. 

       

Sew skirt pieces at side seams with RST. Gather waist of skirt evenly.  With RST sew skirt to body maktching CF, and side seam notches. Bind with Bias tape. I used single fold wide tape. 

       

Press  waist seam.

Sew invisible zipper at center back. Continue sewing down center back.

      


Finish  neck hole, arms holes and hem with bias tape.