Well I’ve decided to make some linen dungarees. I’ve had this Irish linen for well over a year and its been calling out to be sewn up!
I do not own a cross-backed dungaree pattern and thats what I really wanted so I mashed up three patterns to make some 🙂
First pattern was the Seamwork Moji trousers
(Image from www.seamwork.com)
Second was the Bibi pinafore dress from Tilly Walnes new book ‘Stretch!’
(Image from www.tillyandthebuttons.com)
Third was the pocket piece from Tilly and the Buttons Cleo pinafore purely because its a perfectly sized pocket!
I measured the strap length with a tape measure and made them quite wide. Total measurements were 120cm x 7cm. I cut four of these (two from linen and two from a floral poly blend as facings.
The moji trousers feature eyelets and a drawstring waist so I kept the drawstring channel to add elastic as I didn’t fancy a drawstring on dungarees.
I didn’t realise until AFTER I’D FINISHED SEWING that I’d ran out of elastic! So out came the 5m of beautiful buttercup coloured fold over elastic if bought for a lingerie project. (Hoping I’ll still have enough left for that).
When cutting the pinafore bib I made it slightly wider (G-cup here!) And slightly longer as the moji trousers are mid rise length.
Pocket all put on and facings on too! This picture does not do justice to the linens colour at all, mainly because it was too sunny (not complaining I promise!).
I decided to face the entire back of the bib to give them some structure. This project was entirely interfacing free as the linen is so soft I didnt want to stiffen it in any way.
So after making the bib, trousers (sans waistband) and now topstitched straps, I attached the waistband to the bib with a topstitch. The straps were added to the back at the same time.
(Sorry for the upside down picture it won’t flip!)
This project was sooo much easier than I had anticipated!
All that was left to do was attach the trousers and waistband, again with a topstitch, hem the legs and put in the elastic (now that I’d found some)
Last part of the process was hammering some 1″ wide eyelets into the top of the bib for the straps to pull through and tie up!
Thankfully that pen mark is air erasable!
Voila!
All done and ready to wear!
I’m so glad this project worked out! I’m in love with them and they’ll be perfect when we (finally) get some warm weather!
See you soon!
Sewing Victorine 