A real Russian folk sundress is a whole work of art. It is not only elegant, but also airy, elegantly decorated and spacious. Since ancient times, a sundress has been considered an indispensable garment. It could be used both in summer and winter. Due to the fact that it is quite simple to sew, it has become a truly indispensable type of clothing. You can sew it yourself using a simple drawing or even without one.
Features of the Russian folk sundress
A distinctive feature of the products is that they were sewn from specially woven materials. In the 19th century, a large number of things were in natural shades, that is, not painted. With the development of sewing factories, it became possible to buy fabrics of different shades and make clothes from them for the whole family.
What elements does the Russian folk sundress consist of?
The Russian sundress always includes specific amulets that play a certain role for the peasants.For example, the edges of a sundress were always decorated with various embroideries, sometimes very complex. These symbols contained encrypted signs that helped protect its owner from the evil eye, evil spirits or various types of witchcraft. It is worth noting an important detail: on the back there was an image that was called a “frog” or “fork.” This symbol really resembles a frog in many ways, which is considered a symbol of wealth and fertility. Since ancient times, women believed that such a talisman could protect the health of not only the owner of the sundress, but also her children.
The Russian sundress includes the following main elements:
- two side parts;
- front half;
- back half;
- lining to the hips.
Pattern of a Russian folk sundress for a girl
Girls can wear these clothes to any celebration. It all depends on the material from which the product is made. Therefore, a sundress can be worn as casual or festive wear. It goes well with a shirt or t-shirt worn underneath. Based on the pattern, you can model a style for every taste and age. It is worth considering that cotton materials are best suited for girls, as well as silk materials if we are talking about a holiday.
How to take children's measurements correctly
The main measurement is the distance from the armpits to the feet of a person. Pay attention to the length of the hem. It should be bent a little so that the child does not stumble and fall. The next measurement is chest circumference for girls. This indicator is usually multiplied by 2–3 times. This measurement will serve as the lower base of the product, which will later form into independent interesting folds.
Making a sundress pattern for a girl
It’s quite easy to draw a pattern in the following order yourself or find it on the Internet. However, there is an option to do without it altogether, following a certain scheme:
- Prepare a piece of fabric; be sure to iron it before starting work.
- Next, you should cut out a rectangle or trapezoid from the material (one side should correspond to the chest circumference, and the other to the desired length of the product).
- Add a seam allowance of about 1.5 cm.
- Draw straps with a width of 5 cm or more (the length depends on the individual preferences of the child and his age).
- The resulting pattern elements should be cut out of paper.
REFERENCE! The length of the straps can be adjusted during the fitting process.
Pattern of a Russian sundress for an adult
The drawing of women's items, unlike children's items, is more complex. It is better to do it taking into account the individual characteristics of the figure.
How to take measurements of a woman correctly
To create a pattern, you need the following measurements - chest volume and back. You won't be able to take measurements yourself. It is better to invite some assistant for these purposes. During measurements, the woman should stand straight and not slouch. The volume of the chest is measured by the most protruding point on the chest and the protrusion of the shoulder blades on the back. The measuring tape should lie freely. You can also measure the width of your chest and the width of your back. In this case, measure the distance from the armpits at the widest point of the chest. Then do the same from the armpits, only along the shoulder blades.
Building a pattern of a Russian folk sundress for an adult
A women's product will consist of several parts. Moreover, when constructing a pattern, it is better to take many heights according to your personal preference. A certain sequence should be followed when constructing a pattern:
- First, parts of the back and shelf are drawn. The width is taken as the width of the chest and back, respectively, and the height is approximately 10 cm.
- An indent of 0.5 cm should be made from each lower edge of the back and shelf, thereby slightly narrowing the part.
- The straps are drawn in size 30x8 cm (their length is specified during fitting).
- Next you should draw two trapezoids for the hem. Their size is determined taking into account the desired length of the future product. The width of the upper base should be varied. For example, the back of the canvas should be 5 cm larger than the width of the back, and the front by 8 cm.
- For each pattern element, you need to add a seam allowance of about 1.5 cm.
- The patterns are signed and the direction of the grain thread is indicated on them.
- The final stage is cutting out the resulting drawings.
How to sew a Russian folk sundress: a step-by-step guide
Making a sundress yourself will not be difficult, since simple fabrics are used in sewing. It is much more difficult to make decorative ornaments.
We sew a sundress for a girl with our own hands
When all the parts are ready, you can start sewing the product on a sewing machine. This can be done by following a certain sequence:
- Skirts should be folded tightly in half, wrong side out. Then a seam is laid with an indentation from the edge of approximately 1.5 centimeters. You should leave a small space at the top to sew on the fastener later. Its length is equal to the length of a zipper with small reserves of 2–3 cm.
- Next, a zipper is sewn in and the edges of the seam are sewn, protecting the fabric from fraying. After this, the seams should be ironed and ironed.
- The top of the fabric is sewn with dense stitches so that the fabric can be pulled to a size corresponding to the length of the yoke without allowances.
- Next, sew the skirt to the top of the product. To do this, bend the yoke into two parts with the front side inward and then sew the side sections. Turn the sundress inside out.
- Next, we baste the inside of the top of the product to the hem and stitch again.
- We sew the resulting straps and turn them inside out. Next, we attach them to the place where the skirt part and the front are sewn from the inside of the item and adjust them on the girl during fitting. You need to listen to the wishes of the future owner of the item, because first of all, it should be comfortable.
- We process open sections with a border and decorate the product with lace, frills or beads.
How to sew a Russian sundress for an adult
We lay the resulting patterns on the selected fabric and pin it together. They should be outlined with chalk or a piece of soap and be sure to add up to 1.5 cm for further processing. We cut out these elements and begin assembly in the following sequence:
- First you should sew the side sections of the yokes. It is better to immediately treat the upper part with braid. This is one of the easiest ways. We sew a bright ribbon on the central part of the front panel.
- Then the side sections are aligned, pinned and sewn on a machine.
- It is recommended to sew the edge of the product with a bright ribbon made of colored material and also lay a ribbon along it.
- The top of the panel is sewn with a large stitch for ease of assembly, which should be equal in width to the yoke.
- Next, we sew the yoke to the bottom of the product.
- The straps are folded in half, adjusted and a ribbon is placed along the edge. After trying them on, they can be sewn to the shelf.
How to decorate a Russian folk sundress
An ethnic sundress is an elegant product. Along the hem it is decorated with large ornaments.It is usually made using red patterned chintz appliqué. The design is a straight line with a chain of diamonds on each side. The top is decorated with red chintz trim. The look is perfectly complemented by a simple white shirt with embroidery around the neckline or on the sleeves.
ON A NOTE! In earlier times, by the cut and color of a sundress, one could determine a girl’s position in society: her financial and marital status. Wealthy women could afford more expensive decorations and trimmings for their clothing.
Such clothes are in demand in folklore clubs and studios. Many modern women are looking closely at ethnic style and using its elements in tailoring. Sewing a sundress yourself is quite simple if you follow the suggested recommendations. We hope that this article will be useful and help you create a beautiful outfit.