PEASANT SHIRT DRESS (as seen on page 27 in Winter 07 issue) ALICE B. FOGEL LYRIC COUTURE www.LyricCouture.com alice@lyriccouture.com

1. Start with a grouping of men’s tailored cotton shirts. Have fun matching stripes and plaids etc. as long they share a color palette. Depending on sizes, you’ll need at least 5 shirts. Note: I use only about ¼” seam allowances because I serge. Add to my cutting measurements if you want more generous amounts. 2. For the bodice, use a shirt that fits at the shoulders and bust. You can make princess seam waist darts both front and back for a flattering fit but it’s not necessary if you’re going to elasticize the waist, another fitting option. Because the rest of the materials are men’s shirts, I use a boy’s shirt for the bodice. Things go much more simply if all plackets button in the same direction. 3. For a small to medium dress, mark the bodice shirt, in the front, from the point where the shoulder meets the neck down 19”. In the back, mark the length about 16 ½” from center neck (where the collar is attached). You might want to measure your back and front lengths for the right fit for you. One way is to put the shirt on and tie a thin elastic or string around your waist over the shirt. Mark all around and, leaving a little extra for ease and for seam allowance, cut the waist there. 4. Also cut the bodice sleeves to desired length. For cap sleeves, mark a point on the sleeve 1 ½” from the armpit seam and one 3 ½” from the shoulder seam. Draw a line and cut. Finish each sleeve with a 3” strip cut from other shirts in the dress, folded over double, right sides out, and seamed to the sleeve. 5. For the full skirt you’ll need 6 shirt panels—3 fronts and 3 backs. (Use 5 in all for less fullness.) Cut them (placket centered) in rectangles or squares 18” long and about 18-20” wide. Make sure the top button is about 1” from the top edge, and pockets are 3 to 5” down. Seam the panels at the sides, alternating colors and plain and placketed pieces. Gather the top and sew to bodice, matching center front plackets and distributing gathers evenly. 6. For the ruffle, cut 8 shirt hems (the curved kind) about 8” long at longest points (centers) and about 4 ½” at sides. Seam together at sides, gather, and attach to skirt, matching center front plackets. 7. Sew narrow elastic to the waist seam allowance with a zig zag stitch if desired.

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