Organdy Fishbowl Pockets

An Original Idea

Organdy Fishbowl Pockets Free Dress Pattern
and Free Smocking Design Offer

In the latest Sew Beautiful issue #143, and incidentally on the cover, you will find a precious free pattern of this summer dress with a colorful free smocking design of tropical fish created by Kathy Dykstra. On the dress is a little machine embroidered fish swimming in a see-through fishbowl pocket made of vinyl. The fish design is from our new Beneath the Sea machine embroidery CD Beneath The Sea Embroidery Disk from store.marthapullen.com. While vinyl is suitable for a casual cotton dress made of inexpensive quilting cottons, we certainly would not condone it for a more heirloom style made of cotton batiste or lawn. In that case, it is also best to hand embroider a fish if you are going for a purely heirloom quality garment.  Kathy’s original pockets were made of two layers of cotton organdy and were stitched to a little dimity-striped bishop. On the casual dress the organdy was traded for a clear alternative. For those of you who are “purist” and would prefer not to use a synthetic material on your cotton dress, here is the best natural option. Imagine a child’s delight to open the pocket and discover a fish inside! See below for a free smocking design offer.

Cotton Organdy Fishbowl

1. Trace the pocket pattern from the pullout centerfold to one square of organdy and place another layer behind it.

2. Follow the marked line with straight stitching.

3. Cut out pocket with a 1/8-seam allowance from stitching line.

4. Turn pocket inside out and press the curved seam (like a tiny pillow).

5. Stitch across the top edge to close.

6. Create a single layer organdy ruffle and cover with ribbon or bias. Place ruffle and ribbon on top of pocket and fold in raw ends of ribbon to back side. Stitch along edge of ribbon to attach to top of pocket.

7. Pin organza pocket over fish and straight stitch along seam edge and on both ends of ruffle to apply to skirt.

Vinyl Fishbowl

 FREE SMOCKING DESIGN

Stitch up this cute goldfish design by Kathy Dykstra. 

Click on this link and choose "Fishing for Compliments."

http://www.sewbeautifulmag.com/articles_2012.html