Tutorial 3 Upstyled Orla Kiely Dress with New Lace Bib

Tutorial 3

 Upstyled Orla Kiely Dress with New Lace Bib

Using the Broderie Anglais that we bought from the Cassino Market, we've created a Bib front to give a stronger look to this Orla Kiely dress.

Obviously it can be applied to many other 'Upstyle' projects, tops or dresses so long as they have a flat front.

This is the before.

I love the dress, it's just It's a bit plain on me.

1. Un-pick the neckline from the facing, only as far round as your bib width plus 1cm on each side.

2. Fold dress in half to find the centre font line the gently press with an iron.

3. Starting 1cm in from edge start to gather lace.

For those that never gathered before just use the largest straight stitch, then when off the machine pull either the thread below or above to gather.

4. First put the Bond-a-Web down one side of your pressed centre line.

Then lay gathered lace ontop and press a little. Ease round to come up the other side, then lay another thin strip of Bond-a-Web laying gathered lace on top.

5. Once your happy with the amount of gathering and the position of the frill, you can press with an iron to hold in place.

To help pull the whole thing together I've decided to put a strip of colour under the strip of lace down the centre.

This needs to be bonded on first with a strip of Bond-a-Web cut to the right width.

6. Once everything is bonded into position, you can now hold it all in place by top stitching along the line of the scalloped edge of lace strip down the centre, as shown in above picture.

7. Lay flat over the iron board and cut away excess lace.

Make sure your fabrics are carefully layered out without any creases, as this will effect whether the lace is trimmed properly.

8. With right sides together, stitch back the original seam of the neckline.

Turn the right way round and press carefully into place.

Close-up of finished lace bib.
So here's your new Orla Kiely dress