COOL COTTON CAFTAN TUTORIAL

There I was......Sitting quietly and contemplating the dress I was about to make for myself... When, BAM!!!!! Inspiration struck again! LOL This time my eyes landed on the pink Hawaiian print cotton gauze that I picked up out of the remnants bin at Hancock's for $2.  That's when it hit me. It would make the cutest caftan for D!!! So I called her downstairs and showed her a sketch of what I had in mind. She seemed to love it! ;) YAY!!!! I got right to work on it!



I had just over 2 yards of the cotton gauze and used almost all of it. I wanted it to be nice and loose just like a caftan ought to be. ;)

So here is what you will need-

2 yards of cotton gauze

2 packages of coordinating bias tape

That's it! That's all you need! ;)

Step 1 -



Remove the cat from the fabric.... It's started already! LOL

Then measure and while folded, cut to the length you want leaving the selvages for the sides. D liked the thought of the fringy selvages being left on. I agreed. It looks cute that way. ;)

Step 2-



While still folded, cut the neck line. I cut this one in a boat neck style.

Step 3-





Remove the cutesy wootsie kitty from the fabric.

Yes, she is new. LOL I found her today at the dump. Someone had dumped HER!!! GRRRRR!!! She is such a sweet little loving thing! I knew we had to bring her home with us. J1 named her Cloud. She does look a little like a cloud leopard.... LOL

Sorry, ANYWAY! ;)

At this point slip the caftan over the head of the intended wearer and mark up the sides with pins.

Step 4 -



Now, open up your bias tape and pin it around the neckline. Sew it in place. DISCLAIMER ;) This is not the "right" way to do bias tape but I find it works just as well and takes A LOT less time! ;)

Step 5-



Here I took a pencil and drew a straight line where I had pinned the sides. Then I just sewed a straight line down, creating the side seams.

Step 6 -



Time to hem!! This hemming is going to be a bit different.... LOL I SHOULD have hemmed it up before I put in the side seams...... But I didn't... Sooooo I had to hem it on the right sides. No big deal but not the way it's "supposed" to be. ;)

Anyway, press, pin and hem!

Step 7 -



Mark where you would like the openings for the ties to be.

Step 8 -



Then I used my buttonhole feature on the sewing machine to make the openings for the ties.

My buttonholer and I are still getting to know one another so that is NOT the neatest buttonhole you will ever see...... LOL  I'm just happy it worked at all! ;)

After you have your buttonhole, use your seam ripper to open it up.

Step 9 -



I took a package of bias tape and measured it around D at an empire waist height. Then I sewed the bias tape together to create a thing tie. :)

Insert it into the openings and you are DONE!!!



I think it would make a nice pool cover-up or even a pretty blouse with some white linen capris. ;)

I hope you like it and give it a try!! :)