Let's Make a Dress!

It's easy, I promise!

Have you always wanted to sew for your daughter or granddaughter? Do you love to smock and would like to include it in your designs, but the child in your life needs simple everyday clothes? Honey is a simple pull on and go basic square yoke dress. Make it with a smocked skirt and high yoke, use a smocked woven insert if you don't want to smock on the knit, or go with simple gathers and a high or mid yoke. Honey has a ton of options! Made in an easy care cotton knit, this will become her favorite dress! This course will walk you through every aspect of the construction process. The bonus materials include how to add a contrasting neckband and sleeve band.
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Examples of May Garden Jumper
Watch Intro Video

Video

What Others are Saying:

"My daughter wants you to know that you are a great teacher - she says my work/smocking/sewing has gone from above average to the next level above. She and my granddaughters thank you very much. Me too." Peggy D.

“Starting with May Garden and on to Honey, Twirly Skirt, and then Rosie, my granddaughters have absolutely loved my creations! The dresses fit beautifully and they are so comfortable to wear.  I never thought I would enjoy sewing with knits this much but the Pink Hollybush patterns made it very easy.  When the girls came back and asked me to make another, I knew I had found a winner!” Diana B.

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome to the Honey Construction Course

    • Welcome and Getting Started

    • How to use this course

    • An Introduction to Knit Fabrics

    • Supplies for Honey

    • Cutting out Honey
  • 2

    Time to Smock: Views A & B

    • Getting Started Smocking Honey

    • Pleating Knits

    • Pleating Wovens

    • Preparing the Skirt for Smocking

    • Centering a Smocking Design
  • 3

    Starting to Sew (All Views)

    • Tackling the Neckline: All Views

    • Bonus: Contrasting Neckline

    • Making Knit Piping

    • Gathering the Skirt Back (View A) & both the Front and Back Skirts (Views B & C)

    • Getting the Pleats to Stand at Attention
  • 4

    Joining the Bodices and the Side Seams

    • Attaching the Piping and Joining the Bodices to the Skirts

    • Joining the Side Seams and Finishing the Armholes
  • 5

    Hemming the Sleeves and Dress

    • Hemming the Honey Dress

    • Bonus Lesson: Adding a Contrasting Sleeve Band
  • 6

    Resources

    • All Downloads

    • Before you go...

    • Continue Your Smocking Journey!

About Lisa & Pink Hollybush

Lisa Hawkes, Owner of Pink Hollybush Designs

Hi, I'm Lisa and I am so glad that you wouldl like to sew for the little girl in your life. At Pink Hollybush Designs we teach modern smocking through our courses and patterns so moms and grandmas can sew love into every stitch. In particular we focus on helping sewists smock knit garments that busy mamas don't have to iron and that children love to wear because they are so soft and comfortable. I have my Artisan level in smocking and served as the National President of the Smocking Arts Guild from 2014-2016.

Sew a Simple Honey Dress!

  • The Honey Dress pattern is available as a printed pattern or pdf pattern. The dress is for sizes 3-12 and is made for knit fabrics. It cam be smocked or simply gathered. Pleating service is also available for the Honey Dress.

  • 21 lessons with detailed instruction walk you through every aspect of the project from picking out supplies to constructing the dress.

  • 14 Videos demonstrate each step.

  • Course includes a bonus instruction on adding a contrasting neckband and a contrasting sleeve band. (Course assumes you know the basics of smocking. Please see my Learn to Smock Course if you don't know how to smock and would like to learn.)

  • Suitable for a Beginner or Advanced Beginner Sewist

Get the Printed Pattern, PDF Pattern, or Pre-Pleated Fabric

Head over to Pink Hollybush Designs to check out the options.

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