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How To Sew A Chata Dress

Fabric: Cotton, Cotton/Polyester blend;

Yardage; Average adult, five yards; Larger size, six yards.

Notions; 22" zipper, thread.

Apron and decorative trim, 1 and 3/4 yards, all of 44"material.

Seam allowance 1/4" to 3/8".

Use scissors for yoke, midriff and sleeve to make sure dress the dress fits.

1.Cut yoke,front and back, cut two of each.

2.Cut lower bodice or midriff, front and back. Cut two the same size.

3.Sleeve-length to waist.

Tear: two cuffs, large enough to slip over hand; two waistbands, to go around your waist loosely plus 2";

Skirt: two panels with length desired from midcalf to floor.

Strips for ruffles for hem, skirt and yoke: Tear strips allowing for slight fullness, approximately 1 1/2 times the width of hem; strips for two panels of 44" material: hem ruffles 4"x132". Cut bias strip 2" wide for neck, length depends on size of neckline; Strips for decorative trimmings 3/4" for triangle trim and 1/2"wide for narrow strips above trim. Cut strips with scissors. The strips are 132" long.

Yoke is lined. Waist is lined also. Trimmings should be of contrasting material. Trimmings on yoke, two rows; cuffs, one row; hem ruffles, one row; skirt, two rows.

Wash dress by hand or on gentle cycle in washer. Dry on low heat or in shaded area so it won't fade. DO not store dress and moccassins together.

1.Sew together shoulder, front and back of yoke. Same with lining.

2.Basting stitch on top and bottom of midriff for both back and front. Gather and fit onto yoke of back and front, sew through all materials. Optional, you may slip-stitch lining. Hand baste sleeve opening of yoke and yoke lining.

3.It is now ready for decorative trim. When the trim is completed, sew yoke ruffles on. Sew strip of trimming on ruffles at gathering line. Complete before going to next step.

4.Fit bias strip of material onto neckline, sew.

5.Gather sleeve to fit cuff, stitch. Sew trim on cuff, complete.

6.Sew sleeve onto bodice (yoke and midriff), make gathering at top of sleeve, to fit yoke and midriff. Fold cuff and slip stitch.

7.Fit gathered midriff onto waist band and lining, baste, adjust if needed, sew. Set aside.

8.Sew two panels for skirt together. Prepare opening in front or back sufficient to sew zipper in when dress is completed. Baste stitch top of skirt.

9.Sew together 3 strips for bottom ruffles. Make narrow hem. Sew trimming near hemline. Put basting stitch on top of ruffles but don't gather it until the trimming is completed. When completed, gather ruffles and sew onto bottom of skirt. Press.

10.Sew trimming just above stitiching line of skirt through all materials.

11.Sew 3 strips of ruffles on skirt. Make narrow hem. Baste stitch on top. No trimmings.

12.Gather, and sew on skirt above trimmings. Sew strip of trimmings on gathering line. Complete trimmings.

13.At this point, the dress should be complete except for the zipper. Sew zipper.

14.Use the same instructions for apron as dress.

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