How to Sew an Overalls Dress

Greetings and Blessed Love,

I was to post this tutorial so long ago while I was pregnant but I kept sticking with putting it together. And I should have because I didnt do my best job with editting down the footage given that I am juggling everything I do with taking care of my two month old - he is certainly growing! has gotten very fat and sweet, and has just started cooing and looking at things. and of course homeschool has started back with his big sister. coupled with Ila Designs and running the home, Ive got my hands full like many other RasTa Mamas.

 but I find the tutorial is still easy to follow - perfect as a summer dress or a beach overall dress, or as a maternity and breastfeeding dress.

One Love
Ila

How to Sew a Basic Maxi Skirt with Knit stretch fabric

Greetings and Blessed RasTafari Love to all!


I know I havent been around for a while, but having a newborn is so time-consuming that I really don't get much time to sit at the computer, or to make new tutorials... But I am trying to get back into the groove, as I am being creative again when I can  these days, after not making items for a while during my pregnancy. I am also working on some written material on His Majesty and the duty and roles of a king as determined in the Ible. I also want to work on some video reasonings. so things are going on behind the scenes even if it may take me longer than before to get my products online.

I really wanted to make a maxi skirt to take some pictures or do a mini photoshoot for some upcoming designs. so this beautiful camo-like fabric is what I decided to use. This is a very very basic tutorial, nothing new to the blog - but since it is knit I decided to do another tutorial on the basic A-line maxi.

Keep on trodding the path of the Virtuous Dawta!
Rastafari!
Ila

How to Sew an Afro Princess T Shirt Dress

RasTafari Blessings!!!!

I made this cute little babydoll styled T Shirt dress for Nile for Afrikan Liberation. It is a great and simple tutorial that can be changed up in so many ways! I have a tutorial to come on another style I did with a sash and circle skirt.Once you do this dress one time, you will be hooked and can make so many dresses. You can use an old or new T shirt and cut it and attach the skirt also instead of making a tee from scratch. But as you will see making the Tee is very simple!

 

 

I really want to get making some things for my new prince! He will be arriving soon in early August!

Have a blessed Sabbath one and all!
Senbet Selam!
Ila

Refashion a Dress or Skirt into an Elastic Belted Maxi Skirt

Blessed Love,

I found out yesterday that I am having a son and we are so excited! All this time not knowing it seems so strange to finally know it is a prince inside there. But this pregnancy has been sooooo different from the first it is suiting that it is another gender. Now it is time to really find a name!

This is a refashion DIY that I have had for months and months that I finally remembered to post up.
Make a dress, halter or skirt into a high-waisted maxi skirt that has an elastic belt. I love this style as you can see I made about 4 different skirts.

I turned this dress

 into this skirt

and this maxiskirt

  into this one

these i made from scratch, using one seam.

Here's the video:

All the best with your sewing projects!!
SIs. Ila

Refashion a Maxi Skirt into a Dress DIY

Blessed Love!

This is a simple beginner tutorial that is fast and allows you to get creative with your wardrobe. It is a dress refashion. You can make almost any type of dress with a plain ole maxi skirt.
I need some more house dresses that fit a pregnant belly and saw the perfect opportunity with this skirt that I rarely wear.
Hope you like this DIY project!

     

Senbet Selam!
Ila Addis

High Necked Tank Maxi Dress Tutorial

Blessed Love!

I hope all Sistren are feeling upfull and bright these days. It is important to have your own time where you can create, Iditate, make decisions or just read or try something new. Time for self is really a healing time and restful time for the body, because it isn't about stress, but about things that make the I happy! As you know, for me it is sewing, crocheting, reading and going to the spring that really mellow my vibes right out! So if sewing is also one your "me-time activities" then you should love this simple tutorial to create an elegantly casual jersey dress.

This tutorial explains how to create a different neckline for the tank maxi dress and draw string dress.  very basic and easy! Hope you like it!

 

Bless
Ila

How to Sew a Kaftan Maxi Dress with Sleeves - T-shirt Style

Blessed Love

I think I am pretty much the maxi-dress queen at this point! What else do I make but maxi dresses? And I have more styles that I want to try as soon as I get the fabric too! But I don't mind, an Empress is royal and free in her style and I love that a maxi dress can give you that flowing goddess feel no matter how you style it.
So don't be surprised that I've been making so many because they are also fabulous for pregnancy! I made two new ones recently out of jersey fabric. I redid my kaftan dress in a new fabric (my most popular post to date is that kaftan tutorial) and I know that you can also call it a Tshirt dress if you use the small little sleeve or simply trace a tshirt. IT has a T shirt style to it, but it really is just a kaftan maxi dress.

I decided to just make a simple video tutorial with not too much detail but I outline the basic way to make a kaftan as a T shirt dress which is ideal for summer spring or pregnancy! you can use the post for the kaftan dress if you need more help. the good thing about this tutorial is that you can either use a t shirt or use your measurements!

 You can purchase my hemp braided belt at www.etsy.com/shop/iladesigns!

without the belt

Tube Dress with Frill Tutorial

Greetings all Royal Dawtas

First I give thanks for the blessed selabration time, when I and I acknowledge His Majesty's visit to Trinidad, Jamaica and Barbados. I hope every I was able to do something special or attend a binghi!
I myself just had a quiet family day, didnt make it to selabrations this year. Just can't do the late nights like before!

Before continuing, the RASTAWIFELINE GROUP IS UP ON FACEBOOK! Yay! finally we are live, so the reasoning and sharing of pictures, recipes and your own personal Iditations and Inspirations and questions can flow! hope to see you there sistren! please ask to join the group.

I made this tutorial also yesterday but didn't get to post it up til now. I been trying to make some comfortable dress for maternity but also to escape the horrible heat that we are currently having in Trinidad. I received an email from old navy which has been one of the only brands I;ve ever worn since a teenager. and I was looking at all the lovely maxi dresses and prints they have right now.

And it occurred to me that I have come so far, in that I more make my own clothes than buy them. I only buy underwear or tank tops. I make all my skirts and dresses myself, and if they are not of jersey they are of Afrikan print. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to make your own garments, but to also represent who you are and your style everyday. I like flowing maxi dresses and skirts with a top or shrug/jacket - that's my basic style in just different prints.

RasTafari is a Livity where everyday we are RasTafari, showing our faith in our appearance as much as in our words and deeds. To feel positive and to feel complete as a Sistren, dressing in the way of your faith or Afrikan heritage is as important as wrapping the crown or eating ital. RasTafari must give all Sistren a sense of royal confidence, wisdom, power and security. I personally feel like dressing myself, daughter and kingman is an important aspect of my identity as an Empress, makes me feel like I am really setting a good foundation. So I encourage all Sistren to pick up the sewing skill as well as crocheting skill. If you have to save for that machine, then start saving! you can do it. All answers you need for lessons can be found in a friend or online on youtube.  And trust me when I say you will be adequately and joyfully fulfilled by such a venture. Creativity gives much joy and positive energies to the body and Irit, truly priceles no matter what your creative outlet is.

So here's another tube dress, this time with a frill. very simple and straightforward.
Here's the link for the tube shrug. I used quiana fabric which is similar to jersey for this brown tube.

 

                                             

Sis Ila

How to Sew a Drawstring Maxi Dress

RasTafari Love Sistren!
I'm giving two posts today as I had both reasoning and tutorial for you to take in. This dress can be fitted or it can be loose based on how much seam allowance you add. If you want it to fix close or tight only take your hip measurement, divide by 2, add 1.5 inches or 2 inches, with a 1 inch seam allowance. If you want a loose dress for pregnancy add 4 inches after dividing by 2.  you can choose any length you want it to be, add layers for the skirt using the rasta skirt tutorial as a guide or you can make it into a top - add some extra inches for a buff and put an elastic band!

note how this dress doesn't make my bump so noticeable, it's all about the style and fabric to make the perfect piece of clothing in my opinion. one that will give you everything you need for what occassion you made it for!  ;)
This is not a "going out" dress for me persay. I dress nicely wherever I go and I dont go out on the public social scene very often - never these last few months since 2012. So this dress will be worn day or night because it's comfortable and simple just how I like it. if you haven't already figured out I am a pretty simple designer.

I love choosing multiprints because they allow you to achieve different looks for different occasions. Accessories like jackets, belts, bags, shoes and jewelry can take your look to the next level or keep it relaxed. A blazer and fancy shoes would make this dress perfect for going to a special gathering. I chose to dress it more on the casual side and I was pleased with how I could mix my accessories and designs with it - they mesh well in colour scheme. I mixed metallics with bright prints and black stone as the bold undertone instead of my usual brown.

How to Sew a Jacket or Shrug

Greetings and Blessed Love

I know it's been a long time, but have no fear I am still working on gathering information for two new video reasonings in addition to filling order and running the household. I haven't forgotten my works for rastawifeline! just trying to balance everything going on.

Today's tutorial is a much needed one, on how to make  a jacket or shrug. it is more a shrug than a jacket because it has no zip or buttons to the front. but you could always add a belt or a tie to the front. i will hopefully go another tutorial soon on how to add a closure to the front.

hope you love it!

            I've paired it here with my other designs - crochet belt, clay earrings and bangles and crochet clutch!

Ila

How to Sew a Tube Dress - the ILA Roots Dawta Dress

Blessed Love every I!

I finally made something that you can wear out  for a date night with your KingMan or to a special occasion, the first dress I ever made for myself was in this style, especially because I hate sleeves - in the tropics you need to be cool! But because I personally don't really wear tubes anymore without a jacket or scarf as I matured in the livity, I stopped making them, so this is the first Roots Dawta Dress Ive made in a lonnngg time. Im pretty pleased with how it came out. I styled it without a shoulder covering so you could see it properly, but do check the tutorials on how to make the Ises wrap and the Shrug so that you can be appropriately covered if going to a formal Rastafari gathering.

This dress can also double as a skirt, but because of the inside zigzag stitching, doing that is up to you since it will show through - your thread would have to be an exact match and the top part probably in black for you to pull it off properly.  or I can recommend making two side seams for the jersey top instead of one seam at the back, and then sewing the elastic into the seams one time at the halfway mark. that way you wont have any zigzag stitches to hide.

Happy sewing Sistren!

Sis Ila

My Split Pea Vegetable Soup Part 2

Greetings!

Today I wanted soup again and I was prepared with all my provision and veges, so I'm offering a second tutorial just with the same basic recipe but with more ingredients. this soup was indeed very delicious and thick and satisfying - do give it a try.

for the large pot here are the ingredients:

1 cup split pea
1/4 cup pearl barley (optional)
1 small-med yam
2 small sweet potato or 1 large
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup each  brocolli, carrot, cauliflower, string bean
1 onion, 2 pimento,3 garlic clove, chives to season

to taste: sea salt, soy sauce, cumin, tumeric, dried basil, ground ginger.

Blessed Cooking!
Ila

How to Sew a Blouson Top

Selamta Royal Dawtas

One of my sewing favourites clothes wise is the oversized blouse or top which is like a kaftan shirt, tunic shirt or dashiki shirt. I have one pattern which I use to create five different tops using less than one yard of fabric, jersey or cotton. If you visit my kaftan dress tutorial you will see the method of creating the basic top - the length of the dress is just shortened to your hip area. But I am just going to outline everything here again.

So I discovered (a while back but I been too busy to post it up) the style of putting an elastic belt in the hem of the top to create a nice buff fall-over style (one of my personal favourites)- only to discover that  it's trending now at the Gap.  While browsing to see what's new on Old Navy and Gap (the only mainstream brands Iwould like outside of Forever 21) I saw that The Gap has one here and it's called the Blouson. So it's still kind of kool that I found the name and whatnot, the blouson style means any jacket, dress or top that has an elastic waist gather - I really need to buy that complete guide to sewing book I saw. it would have in all that information I need, and it would really help me expand my ability to actually learn fashion terminology instead! I've added it to my mental to-do list.

All in all with this top you will definitely be trending for fall season. I find it very comfortable and versatile because it can be casual or elegant based on the fabric - whether you go cotton or jersey, solid print or pattern. The Gap's blouson is very casual. I will post up another tutorial for a jersey skirt after Sabbath which will show how to more elegant style looks (the black and white top).
Also I am using pictures from two different shirts here.

Materials

1 yrd Jersey or knit fabric 58 inches wide

Pins

Scissors

Yard rule

Chalk

Sewing machine

Ball point needle 90/14 or 70/10

¾ inch elastic

correct thread

 Width – your hip measurement divided by two, plus 8 inches (mine is 36/2+8= 26 inches  wide which is a small-large size)

The length is the width of the fabric, the selvedge edges -58 inches. On the fold it is 29 inches. the length of all tops will be 29 inches if using 58 inch wide knit.
Whatever width your fabric is, is the length unless you turn it and cut the other way on the fabric.

Armhole - length is 9 inches.

Neckline -  is 6 inches deep and 6 inches wide (3 inches when cutting on fold) if you want to hem - when hemming it will end up 7 inches wide. Without a hem it can be a straight cut 6 inches deep into the middle of the shirt if you dont want to hem the neckline.

These measurements include a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

1. Fold over fabric so the fold is at the top, right sides together.
2. Cut your width out.

3. Pin together the sides of the shirt.

4. Fold the shirt in half sideways, and mark the middle with a small clip of the scissors, unfold now and cut down the middle line 6 inches down. Can be lower.You can also choose to mark across 3 inches from the fold and draw a curve to the 5 inch mark. Cut out this semicircle-ish shape - you don't have to hem this neckline either if you don't want to.


To the left top side is my little clip:

5. Sew down the sides of the shirt, starting from the 9 inch marker for the armpit. **note that in using the selvage edges without a hem, it is best to start at the bottom and sew Up to the 9 inch marker to ensure the edges are properly lined up.**
 However, jersey or knit fabrics tend to fold sometimes, so it may not even be noticeable if there is a tiny off balance of the selvage. Try the bottom to top method to avoid it altogether however.
(can't see the side seams here very well but look to the left and you will see a piece of thread, follow that.)

6. Make an elastic casing just big enough for the ¾ inch elastic to slide through. Leave space for elastic to go inside.

 7. Using your hip as a guide cut out the elastic band that it will fit snugly against your hips. Make it one less than your hip measurement in otherwords. Attach to a safety pin and insert the elastic. Close the opening.

8. Make a hemline for the armpit and neckline if not leaving the knit raw (for me it all depends on how it looks when it's finished or the type of fabric - if it will fray or isn't cut nicely it needs a hem.)

Finished!

As I said, the blouson top is really one style of many that can be made from one basic pattern - the basic pattern is the exact method, caluclations and measurements written here, BUT there is no elastic waist - so in finishing the regular basic top, you can either choose to hem the bottom of the shirt or leave the selvage edges, neatly matched up.
Again it all depends on the fabric and what you are using the top for - if it's for a more casual look - to wear to the spring,peach or pool, at home, then the hemming won't be necessary, if for going out, if the fabric doesn't look polished enough on raw edges, them do all the hemming.
 For a more dressy blouson:

 the great thing too is that the  waist band can be worn down on the hips like above or pulled up to under the bust to create a more crop top like below.

 

Here is the regular basic oversized top in a very light knit that I will use for home and going to the spring - but I have dressed it up here over a camisole and maxi, to show you that the top overall can be versatile.

Here's the pattern:

Fulljoy that "blouson" lol. It really is a fav of mine - I've made a brown, black, black n white so far!
Ila