Jamaican Mu Mu Crazy One

My In-Laws recently returned from their mission for our church in Jamaica.  Yes... I know you are all thinking, "Seriously... that is more of a vacation!"  I suppose most would think that.  I know I did, but there is so much need there I know it was difficult for them many times.  They were broken into and had their car stolen..  For more visit their mission blog, Tropical Tracting!



So...My mom brought back some fabric for me and asked that I make dresses for all the granddaughters!  Fun, but nerve racking.  She didn't bring a ton and they will be pretty special.  The fabric sat on the table for DAYS!  I just needed to stare at it.  Then I cut in... and stared some more!  lol

 Here is the beautiful fabric!  I folded a peice in half and set a shirt of hers a few inches away.

 Then I cut it like this.  My goal was to make a pretty Mu Mu.  

 Then I surged the main body and sewed the sides.

 I folded over the top portion and sewed again with a pretty stitch to create an elastic casing.

 Then I snuck my elastic through and pinned it at both ends.

 Next I folded over both armpits on the body and pinned them down.

 I had a more complicated sleeve for the first dress, but... discovered that it came out the same and just as cute this way so...   I  cut 2 rectangles and surged.

Then, using a pretty stitch, I started hemming one of the shorter sides.

 When I got closer to the bottom I folded the next side under and then...

 Folded the corner a bit and....

Sewed around the corner!

 Then I folded over the over-the-shoulder part of the sleeve and pinned it to the inside of the armpit of the main body.  Notice I didn't pin it all they way to the bottom.  When pinning the top of the sleeve I did add a few pleats.

Then I sewed all the way around the sleeve!

 Then I used the same cute stitch along the bottom!  Cutie Patootie right?

Here are all the grandkids in the things I made them.
The Bow Tie Tutorial will be HERE.