A Few of the Details

Thank you to everyone who voted for my Tea Dress - I did not win, but I sure do appreciate all of the lovely comments and support!

There have been some questions about the design details, so here is a bit of an explanation.  I have to admit that I do not have as many pictures as I sometimes do of the construction process because I was in a rush to finish the dress!

The linked buttons were quite a bit easier than I expected.  Instead of thread, I used some embroidery floss (I figured it was more sturdy than thread, and all that floss from my counted cross stitch days might as well come out to play).  Does anyone else remember those friendship bracelets we made out of embroidery floss?  This is a very similar process!  

I use the same buttonhole stitch over a loop of thread when I thread-tack the lining of a skirt or dress to the outer fabric at strategic points along the hemline.

Sewing Made Easy suggests using linked buttons as cuff links – and if I ever have occasion to make a French cuffed sleeve, I will be sure to keep this in mind!

This particular dress has a seamline that makes the addition of an actual buttonhole unnecessary.  But I am quite sure that a pair of bound buttonholes and more linked buttons are in my future.

The button loops on the cuffs are a detail I nearly missed until it was too late.  This is because I get lazy and like to rely on pictures alone - and look - no closures are visible in the diagram.  Right before I was going to stitch the facing to the cuff, I realized that something was missing!

Obviously, the loop must be applied before the facing half of the cuff is sewn on so those yucky raw edges are enclosed.  The most irritating part of the process is turning the loops right-side-out!  And please remember that hand basting is your friend!  

When the facing is sewn on, and the cuff is turned right side out, you have a beautiful way to fasten your buttons.  And if you dread buttonholes, this is an excellent was to avoid them (hint, hint!).