Sunday, July 15, 2012

Handkerchief Peplum Dress DIY + Mini Tutorial

Have you seen Jean in her white dress?  If you have, you can guess why I all of a sudden wanted one too :)  Shopping for a white sheath can be a bit of a nightmare because I need a dress with the following qualities: must not be see-through, must fit proportions well, must hide tummy, and must be a "deal" of some sort.  That's a tall order, and one unlikely to be filled without a good deal of shopping around, so I went to the fabric store instead.  While searching for a white ponte knit (and getting disappointed by the $13/yd price tag), I found a heavy white knit instead (on crazy sale for $2.50/yd).  It's a little thicker than ponte and a little less stretchy.  Both qualities help in the "hide tummy" camp :)

I started with the white sheath and felt like it needed a little extra something when I finished.  I decided to add a removable handkerchief peplum.
Dress with and without peplum - I prefer the "with" (at least for now)

DIY White Sheath Dress w/ Removable Handkerchief Peplum
Amrita Singh Sag Harbor Necklace, Lapis 
Gucci d'Orsay Pumps, Camel
Michael Kors Watch
Hermes & J. Crew Bracelets
Melie Bianco Ariana Bag (giveaway win via Kileen of Cute and Little)

Handkerchief Peplum Tutorial
So how do you make a handkerchief peplum?  Remember my pencil skirt + removable peplum tutorial here?  Follow the same instructions to determine the radius for your waist cut-out.
Cut out that arc and then hem your edges.  Voila, handkerchief peplum!

(Note: Since this fabric was a plain white solid, I folded it into quarters and cut out the waist.  This results in a large square with a circle in the middle.  Simply cut from one edge of your square up to the circle, hem the cut edges, and add closure to get your removable peplum.)

What kind of peplum do you prefer - round, handkerchief, other?

34 comments:

  1. That dress looks great on you :) Would you be willing to sell any custom ones without the peplum? Thanks!

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    1. Hi Jennifer - thank you so much! Since the bodice is so fitted, I'm nervous about selling any custom dresses and getting it wrong, but I appreciate your interest! :)

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  2. oh wow! that looks great. i really want a nice colored peplum skirt. it's just so pretty and girly.

    Win a $50 giftcard to Shappy Apple! Come and join. :]

    :)
    Carrie
    http://readmylifeascarrie.blogspot.com/

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  3. im not sure if i like the dress or dress+ more!! you look perfect in both of them. and i like the cognac accents! btw, i was inspired by you and started running this past week. it was horrible. did i complain to you about this already? lol

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    1. Aw, that's awesome! Keep up with the running - I'm really starting to actually enjoy the process :)

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    2. And thank you so much for the kind words!

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  4. So pretty!!! I love the peplum dress!
    -Bridgette
    bridgettenicole.blogspot.com

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  5. I like the other peplum more but this one is unusual (in a good way). Again, I love that you made the peplum separate. The peplum can always be added back when the silhouette is trending again but a sheath is timeless!

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  6. Oh, my - I absolutely love this dress on you. I personally like it without the peplum, but you can't beat the convertibility of the design. The warm brown accessories and blue stone necklace are perfect!

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  7. i love everything you do! what a gorgeous silhouette - and the hankerchief peplum is sheer genius!! love this SPG!! xox P

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  8. I love all your DIY. This one take my breathe away. I love the dress with and with the peplum. The sihouette is gorgeous and you looks beautiful.

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  9. OMG that is absolutely GORGEOUS!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the white and the style is so stunning! Yet again another reason I really need to learn to sew!
    :)
    Allison

    P.S. I'm having an INTERNATIONAL $75 Shopbop giveaway on my blog, so don't forget to enter! :)
    A's Fashion Files
    $75 Shopbop Giveaway!

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  10. I love this creation of yours. I'd buy this sheath dress from you in a heartbeat. Sometimes it's hard to find simple designs in stores without all the useless bells and whistles. I prefer the simplicity of the non-peplum version. It is such a clean, versatile, staple piece, but everyone loves having options.

    http://ohtheendlesspossibilities.blogspot.com/

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  11. That dress is amazing! I prefer it with peplum also.Loving the statement necklace too.

    www.justpatience.com

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  12. I love this dress both with and without the peplum!! Absolutely gorgeous!!

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  13. Wow SPG :) You never cease to amaze me :) It looks so good on you :)

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  14. Good job again SPG! You look great on both versions!!

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  15. What a gorgeous dress! It is so flattering on you and perfect for summer. Love it!

    petiteonapenny

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  16. Looks amazing! You are one talented gal :)

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  17. What a beautifully made dress! I didn't know there were different types of peplums!

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  18. This is such a great DIY. I've said it before and I'll say it again: you're so talented! The dress is amazing!

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  19. SPG, I'm still alive and doing well! Thanks for checking up on me!! :D Baby Boy will be here in 3 weeks MAX (or less!!!) My due date is on July 27th...soooo...we shall see! =P

    How long did it take you to complete this dress? It looks so wonderful! I like how you can just see what you like and make it on your own! :)

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    1. Aw, I'm so happy to hear from you!! Wishing you the best for Baby Boy's arrival! I hope everything goes smoothly for you :)

      I've forgotten the details, but I think it took about a day and a half (around 5 hours?) to make the dress :)

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  20. first of all, you just made yourself a completely tailored white sheath dress. wowza! like it looks store bought. i bet i couldn't go to a store and buy a sheath dress that fits as well.

    i think the removable peplum is great way to incorporate the trend, but when the trend goes out, you are still left w/an incredible dress. and you coudln't ask for more than that.

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    1. Thanks Aubrey! I am confident that you can make a sheath dress - I know you can sew! :)

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  21. you always impress me with your talent! I think it's really hard to find the perfect white dress since most of them are see-thru. I really love yours! well done!

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  22. Talent, girl! This dress is fantastic - and a removable peplum?! Genius - you're going to have to patent that, seriously! ;o)

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  23. love this idea, a removable peplum addition is perfect especially when the trend goes out of style.

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  24. I think I like the dress without peplum. But gah, either way, I love the summer white! Still looking for that perfect dress myself.

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  25. Did you use a pattern to make the dress, and if so, which one? Thanks!

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    1. Hi Gem! I used the top from McCall's M5972 and the skirt from B5353. Hope this helps!

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  26. I have been searching for a white sheath dress for some time now (thanks to Jean) and have yet to find the perfect one yet! Please, please, please post a tutorial on how you made that dress!!!

    ♥ Duckie.

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    1. Hi Duckie! The best part is that you don't need a tutorial - just a couple of patterns from the local fabric store - McCall's M5972 and Butterick's B5353 :) Happy sewing!

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  27. Jeezlouise, you are *so* talented. Or should I say sew talented. lol

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I'm the type of gal who gets giddy when I receive mail - it's no different with comments! I really appreciate the feedback and love hearing from you :)