Ms. Eliza Bennet Shirt Tutorial Pattern created by Shelby Greene Meanie Greene 2011 www.meaniegreene.blogspot.com This PDF includes: 8 page tutorial 4 pattern pages If you would like to reproduce the Ms. Eliza Bennet Shirt for sale, please send me an email request to
[email protected] Also, if you have any questions regarding the tutorial or need help with sizing, please send me an email or visit my blog!
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Happy sewing! shelby g
Supplies For Upper Bodice Front & Back Patterned Cotton Fabric cut 1 of each: 1 yard Cotton Lining Plain cut 1 of each: 1 yard
For Lower Bodice Front & Back Plain or Patterned Fabric cut 1: 1/2 yard Cut 48” x 18” (you may need to sew pieces together) For Belt Contrast Fabric to cut: 68” x 3” strip In Contract Fabric cut 2: 2 ¼” x 1 ¾” for belt loops Additional Supplies 7” zipper Cotton thread Fabric marker Pins Sewing machine Scissors Fabric measuring tape 2
Body Measurements: This shirt is intended to fit someone who has: Bust: 33”-35” If you need help adjusting the measurements to fit your body type, please let me know!
Images from: http://www.fashion-era.com/regency_fashion.htm#The%20Empire%20Style%201800
The Ms. Eliza Bennet Shirt is an easy shirt for an intermediate seamstress. From cut to finish, it usually takes me 1.5 hours to complete.
Mark the darts on the front of the bodice using a fabric marker (or felt tipped). Do not pin the darts together until you have sewn the lining to the fabric.
Cut out the lower bodice fabric. The front and back should measure each 24” x 18”. This is for a longer shirt, for a shorter shirt, reduce the length to 15”.
Print and cut the pattern pieces, matching the straps with the appropriate sides and tape. You may notice that the straps don’t line up perfectly, just trim what doesn’t match up.
Cut pattern pieces From both patterned fabric and cotton lining. Take the contrast fabric for the belt and measure and cut out belt and belt loops. (belt should measure 68” x 3” and belt loops should measure 2 ¼” x 1 ¾”)
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You should have all this ready to iron and sew (belt loops not in the image)
Iron all of the cut
pieces. First make the belt and belt loops, since they are the most tedious. Fold the belt right sides together and sew ¼” seam allowance around the raw edges leaving 3” space to turn the belt right side out. Trim corners and turn the right way. Press and sew up 3” opening. At this time, you can stitch around the outside for a more finished look. Iron flat. To make the belt loops, press long edges under ¼”, leaving ends raw. With edges pressed, fold fabric in half lengthwise and press again. This will leave you with a strip of fabric that is 3/8” x 2”. Top stitch all edges. Set belt loops and belt aside.
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Next take the bodice fabric front and lining and with
right sides together, pin edges. Only sew upper edges, leaving side seam and bodice lower edge raw. Sew at ½” seam allowance. When sewing straps, leave end of straps raw, since you will be gathering and sewing these separately.
Repeat step 6 with bodice fabric back. Trim the sewn edges with pinking shears, cutting close to the stitches to help ease curves. When this is complete, turn right sides out and iron. You should have this:
The red represents the edges that have been sewn and the yellow represents the raw edges.
Set the back piece aside. Take
the front upper bodice and gather the dart dots together (with lining). Fold the fabric over from center, so that both darts create a symmetrical look. Pin and baste ¼ stitch along the raw edge.
With right sides together (back & front)
align side seams, pin and sew. Leave one side open to add the 7” zipper. Press and trim with pinking shears.
Baste raw edge of all 4 straps using the largest stitch on your sewing machine (mine is 4). Baste ¼” stitch along all raw edges of the shoulder straps. Pull each basted stitch so that it gathers. Match straps, right sides together and pin gathered straps. Sew ½” seam allowance across gathering. (REMEMBER TO SWITCH YOUR STITCH SIZE BACK TO REGULAR SIZE) Pull baste stitches out once sewn.
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At this point, the shirt should look like this. You’re almost there!
Sew the side seams of the bottom part of
the bodice. Use ½” seam and remember to leave room on one side to place the 7” zipper (should be about 2-3” down on one side). Finish raw edges with pinking shears and iron flat.
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Take the upper edge of the bottom bodice fabric (the
one that will connect with the lower edge of the upper bodice) and sew a ¼” basting stitch in the largest stitch size on your machine. Leave long threads and do not backstitch! Using basting threads, gather fabric and pin to upper bodice aligning side seams. Make sure that the zipper seam is on the same side as the upper bodice zipper opening for placement. Set machine to regular stitches and sew ½” seam allowance.
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Pin zipper (make sure fabric edges
are folded at ½” each side). Using the zipper foot, sew in the zipper.
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Lastly sew belt loops at each side
seam on the upper bodice. Loop belt through and VOILA! You have made your very own Ms. Eliza Bennet Shirt! Join my flickr group with your finished creations: “Ms. Eliza Bennet Shirt”.
To make the Ms. Eliza Bennet shirt a dress
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1. Follow steps 1-11 for the bodice. 2. You can either cut fabric for the lower part long enough be a comfortable dress length, or like me, cut band of upper fabric and lining 31” x 4”. Iron and attach this band to the lower part of the upper bodice. Leave zipper seam open (since you will be adding a 12” zipper instead). This gives it a more fitted look. 3. Cut skirt part of fabric to measure 20”x56” (you should have 2 side seams). 4. Sew side seams together, leaving room on the zipper side to add the zipper. At this point, you can also add pockets, I added mine 8” down the seam. 5. Add 2 darts to the back of the skirt that match your figure. Mine are 2” darts. Align the darts so they are balanced with the back bodice. 6. Gather the rest of the skirt by using a basting stitch making sure to align the side seams. Pin & sew to upper bodice & band. 7. Fold hem over ½” and sew. All done! Pair with some flats and a belt and you have a cute outfit!
Fabric Selections for the Ms. Eliza Bennet Shirt When I first created the Ms. Eliza Bennet Shirt I selected a vintage tablecloth and white cotton fabric as my inspiration. The vintage fabric had a strong floral and bird motif and reminded me of my copy of the book, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. For contrast I chose a sage colored fabric for the belt, which helped make all of the colors in the top pop. The closest representation of the same fabric I have found is pictured below. Although it has a blue background, it includes the floral and bird motif. The fabric is a Swirly Girls Design for Michael Miller Clubhouse. I found it at Fashionablefabrics.com. The shop features a ton of gorgeous prints, so if you are looking, check them out. The fabric pictured happens to be part of my spoils for winning the Spring Top contest over at Made by Rae’s blog. Unfortunately, it is unavailable now (from what I can tell), but if you search for “birds” on Fashionable Fabrics, you’ll come up with some awesome prints. Fabric Sites on Etsy that I like: Whipstitch Pink Castle Fabrics
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Cut 2 (outer and lining)
Cut 4 (2 outer & 2 lining)
