Author: stepnn2me

The day finally arrived. Our donation dresses have been shipped to it’s first stop. You ladies are amazing! Altogether we contributed 31 Dresses to the Lira School Dress Project. 31! When I began this project I was hoping for ten (secretly thinking maybe 20), but you have exceeded what even I could imagine.

My personal goal was to make 5 different dresses. And while I completed the 5 tutorials, I did not actually make Dress 3. None the less, (CB) did. She resized a commercial pattern and created some beauties! So all in all, there is at least one of every dress included with our donations! AWESOME!

Smushed together in our collection showcase, is the Dress 5 Tutorial. I am putting it up, just as a completion for the video portion of our project. Some of you have asked what’s next.

Really?

I would roll on the floor with laughter if I had the energy! BUT since you are on a roll, there is an organization I have mentioned here before DRESS A GIRL AROUND THE WORLD that receives donations year round should you like to sew a bit more, and dozens more projects who would gladly and gratefully receive your gifts.

For now, Here is Dress 5 – The Design Your Own Dress Tutorial. Enjoy!

I will prayerfully consider “what’s next” and let you know. Til then Happy Sewing!

We are here at the final days of our dress making project. It has been a roller coaster ride for sure. I hope you have enjoyed making these dresses as much as I have and that you have a few new techniques to create even more beautiful garments. I will be adding a brief tutorial for Dress 5, though I am pretty sure we wont have time to create any for this particular donation project. There are many more out there, the most prominent one being Dress A Girl Around The World which takes donations year round for all ages and sizes.

Here is the link to the Basic Bodice Size 6 

And here is the making of the Vertical Variation of Smocking Technique 3

Happy Sewing

One week left! That’s right this is the last week for our dress making project. I will be mailing the ones we made off on next Monday. I think I was a bit ambitious lol . Never the less. Here are the smocking tutorials. The video was so long I decided to split it up into four parts.

The first part is an introduction and directions to making a grid template.

The subsequent videos are each separate techniques / designs. I will be adding a link for a basic bodice in a size 6 shortly. Until then these videos will get you started.

basic-bodice.pdf

I’m getting back on the ball. But first a quick update. In order to better ensure our donation dresses make it to their destination in time, I will be mailing them off on Monday, April 22, 2013. If you would like me to mail your dress(es) along with the others I have already received, please arrange to have them to me no later than Saturday, April 20, 2013.

To that end, The next dresses will be posted rather quickly. And now without further ado, here is the video for Dress 3, focusing on Pattern Grading. It is rather general so if you have specific questions please do feel free to ask. I will answer as best as I can.

Have a Beautiful!

We absolutely love Portrait Series here at LaShunda Smith Photography.

From our couples “Intimacy Portrait”, to our ever popular Newborn Portrait Series “Babies and Bibles”, or our High School “Seniors Around Town” Portrait Sessions, we love them all!

And we are anticipating a great love for our newest Portrait Series “Generations”. Generations is an art portrait series for the multi-generational family. A visual piece of history to be treasured forever. Call today to book your Generations Art Portrait Session (GAP). Sessions starting in May. Dates are going fast!

We Are Updating Our Records and we need your help! Shoot me an email at

lashunda@photosutreasure.com

with your Name, Current Address, and Telephone Number

and then check your mail boxes for a little something from us as a “Thank-You-You-Are-Awesomely-The-Best-Most-Special-Client-We have-Ever-had’”!

OH! and the first 3 will receive something extra special!

I was all set to post the latest tutorial for Dress 3 on pattern resizing and realized it was waaaay more complicated than it needed to be. Um and I was talking too much lol. So, I am going to remake it.

There has been a bunch going on around here, and I have been desperately trying to make the deadlines for everything in my business, personal life, as well as spiritual life. Soon, I will be sharing one of the many projects we are currently jugging.

Until then, enjoy these two new dress images! Super thrilled at what we have already collected, and what is in store!

Rarely, if ever, do we mention events here on the blog, but I just wanted to give a bit of a shout out to those distinguished gentlemen I mentioned in This Post for hosting yet another awesome event,

And to the IMF for a grand launching, black tie affair bringing awareness to, and funding research for Multiple Myeloma held at the picturesque Reef in Long Beach, CA

Keep sending in your images! So excited with your creativity in making these darling little dresses!

In general, I will be focusing on making one dress per month, however, in that we will need to mail the dresses off by mid April for them to be received in time, I need to step things up a bit. Therefore, I am beginning Dress 3. That being said, please do feel welcome to make any of the dresses, skip a dress, or um..keep up lol. I know some of you have fallen deeply in love with making Dress 1, the Pillowcase dress, so just keep sewing them! That you would consider making a dress to donate, is awesome to me. And PLEASE do, keep sending your images to me. I will include the ones I have gotten already at the end so scroll away =-)

Now about Dress 3… Dress 3 is really an excuse to show how to read, and resize (grade) patterns. You do not need to have the same pattern I am using. You can use a pattern you already have, buy one, or just skip this Dress altogether. But one of the things I am most asked about is sizing patterns.

Commercial patterns do not always (ok hardly ever) use the standard clothing sizes you see in retail stores. Clothing sizes vary by designer, from store to store, and from year to year, and so as not to make yourself crazy trying to remember which pattern/designer/year fits you, I will show a few tips on how to make any pattern (ish) fit you or whoever you are sewing for.

If you plan to follow along with me, next Monday have a commercially made pattern, and measuring tape handy. I will be sizing my pattern down to a size 6, but the same principles apply to sizing up.

For now enjoy these images (You Guys are AWESOME!) See you Monday!