Start your day comfortable and cool with our Elsie dungarees!
Elsie has everything you’re looking for in dungarees: topstitched pockets at front and back, loose trouser legs that you can roll up for a casual look and a diamond shaped back piece where the shoulder straps are attached. The waistband and back yoke give Elsie a modern and feminine look! These dungarees have 3 (jeans)buttons on each side so they fasten nicely. Wear Elsie with a t-shirt or tank top in summer, and with a warm jumper in winter!
The trousers
Add a piece of interfacing at the extended facing of the side seam of both fronts. Finish the side seams with an overlock or by zigzagging.
Attach a piece of interfacing of 2 cm wide at the diagonal pocket opening of the front pocket.
Press 1 cm of the pocket opening to the wrong side. Press another 1 cm to the wrong side and topstitch in place just next to the edge, at the right side of the fabric. Topstitch a second line at 0,6 cm of your first stitching.
Finish the longest and bottom side with an overlock. Press 1,5 cm of these sides to the wrong side.
Pin or baste the pocket to the front at the markings on top and side seam.
Topstitch the longest side and bottom in place just next to the edge. Topstitch a second line at 0,6 cm of your first stitching. Stitch the top and side of the pocket at 1 cm parallel to the edge.
Pin the bottom of the back yoke at the top of the back, right sides together and stitch.
Finish the seams together with an overlock or by zigzagging.
Press towards the back. Topstitch the seam allowance to the back, right next to the edge and topstitch a second time at 0,6 cm of your first stitching.
Finish the sides and bottom of the back pockets with an overlock or by zigzagging. Press 1 cm and again 1 cm of the top to the wrong side of the fabric.
Topstitch next to the edge and topstitch a second time at 0,6 cm of your first stitching. Press the sides and bottom 1,5 cm to the wrong side of the pocket.
Place the top of the back pocket at the markings on the right side of the back.
Stitch in place next to the edge and topstitch a second time at 0,6 cm of your first stitching. Finish the side seams of both backs with an overlock.
Fold the interfaced side facing of the back in half, wrong sides together and press. Finish the side and bottom with an overlock or by zigzagging.
Pin the side facing with the finished edge to the trousers and stitch in place.
Press the side facing to the side, away from the trousers. Press the seam allowances towards the side facing.
Pin a front to the back, right sides together and pin the side seams. Make sure that the tailor’s tack of the front matches the one of the back. Stitch from the tailor’s tack to the hem.
Press the seam allowance open and press the shaped facing of the front to the wrong side at the marking of the waist. Stitch in place at 1 cm parallel to the top.
Pin the inseam of front and back together and stitch. Finish the seams together with an overlock or by zigzagging. Press towards the front.
Turn one of the trouser legs to the right side and slide it into the other trouser leg, so that the right sides of the fabric are together. Pin the crotch seam: start at the front and follow the shape of the ‘fake’ fly to the tailor’s tack. Turn the fabric under your sewing machine without removing the needle and continue stitching till the end of the back. Stitch a second time in the same stitching line from the tailor’s tack to the end of the back to reinforce the seam. Finish both seams together with an overlock. Press all seam allowances towards the left trouser leg.
Turn the trousers to the right side and place the markings of the fly with the right sides together. Fold the fly to the left seam (left when wearing the trousers) and stitch in place at about 1 cm parallel to the top.
Press 1 cm of the hem, and then another 1 cm, to the wrong side and topstitch in place just next to the edge, at the right side of the fabric. Topstitch a second line at 0,6 cm of your first stitching.
The top
Add a piece of interfacing of 5 cm wide at the top of the front, at the wrong side, over its entire length and at 1 cm of the edge.
Press 2 cm of the sides of the front to the wrong side. Then press 1 cm of this seam to the inside and topstitch in place just next to the edge, at the right side of the fabric. Topstitch a second line at 0,6 cm of your first stitching.
Press 1 cm of the top of the front to the wrong side. Press another 2,8 cm to the wrong side and topstitch in place just next to the edge, at the right side of the fabric. Topstitch a second line at 2,5 cm of your first stitching.
Finish the sides and bottom of the breast pocket. Press 1 cm of the top to the wrong side. Press another 1 cm to the wrong side.
Topstitch in place just next to the edge, at the right side of the fabric. Topstitch a second line at 0,6 cm of your first stitching. Press 1,5 cm of the sides and bottom of the pocket to the wrong side.
Pin or baste the pocket to the front at the markings. Topstitch in place just next to the edge and topstitch a second line at 0,6 cm of your first stitching.
Press 1,5 cm of the bottom of the waistband, that isn’t interfaced, to the wrong side (this will be the inside waistband).
Pin the interfaced front waistband to the front, right sides together. Pin the front waistband that isn’t interfaced with the right side to the wrong side of the front. Pin the side seams of the waistbands together. The finished sides of the front need to be at 1,5 cm of the edges of the waistbands.
Stitch the side seams and top of the waistbands with the front in between. Don’t stitch the pressed 1,5 cm of the inside waistband. Trim the corners.
Turn to the right side. Give the top and sides a nice press. Topstitch the top of the waistband at 2 mm of the edge, through all layers.
Press 2 cm of the sides of the back to the wrong side. Then press 1 cm of this seam to the inside and topstitch in place just next to the edge, at the right side of the fabric. Topstitch a second line at 0,6 cm of your first stitching. Pay attention: don’t stitch the top part of the back!
Press 2 cm of the sides of the shoulder straps to the wrong side. Then press 1 cm of this seam to the inside and topstitch in place just next to the edge, at the right side of the fabric. Topstitch a second line at 0,6 cm of your first stitching.
Pin one of the shoulder straps to the diagonal top side of the back, right sides together. The tailor’s tack at the outside edges of the shoulder strap and back need to match. The other side of the strap ends just before the tailor’s tack in the middle of the top point. The shoulder straps are not symmetrical, so make sure to add the right shoulder strap at the right side! Stitch in place from one tailor’s tack to the other.
Now pin the other shoulder strap to the other diagonal side in the same way, right sides together. Make sure to fold the first shoulder strap back so you don’t stitch in it. Stitch in place.
This is what it now looks like when you fold the straps upwards.
Fold the shoulder straps downwards again so the top is cleared.
Press 1,5 cm of the bottom sides of the back facing to the wrong side. Press at one side the little corner upwards so it disappears between the layers.
Pin the top of the back facing to the back, right sides together and stitch one of the diagonal sides of the top, through all layers. Start at 1,5 cm of the side and stitch until the tailor’s tack.
Repeat for the other side.
Trim the corner at the top to reduce bulk.
Fold everything to the right side. Pin the back facing at the wrong side of the back, with the pressed seam allowances to the inside. Pin or baste in place. Topstitch the back facing all around just next to the edge. Topstitch the diamond shape a second time at 0,6 cm of your first stitching line.
Fold the end of the shoulder straps 1 cm to the wrong side and again 1 cm. Stitch in place just next to the edge.
Pin and stitch the back between the back waistbands in the same way as the front. The finished edges of the back don’t go all the way to the sides of the waistbands, but end at the markings.
Topstitch the top of the waistband at 2 mm of the edge, through all layers.
Sewing the top to the trousers
Pin the front with the outside waistband to the front trousers. Stitch the entire length. Press the seam allowances to the inside of the waistband.
Pin the inside waistband at the trousers, make sure the pressed 1,5 cm is at the inside of the waistband. Stitch in place just next to the edge on the waistband. Press.
Repeat the steps above for the back piece and back trousers.
Attach or sew the buttons at the indicated markings in the front.
Put a slider over the shoulder strap. Then slide the buckle over the shoulder strap. Pull the end of the shoulder strap again through the slider, this time on the inside. Stitch the end to the shoulder strap.
Attach or sew the buttons to the side facing and waistband of the back trousers at the indicated markings. Make the buttonholes at the front trousers and front waistband.
Give your new dungarees a nice press.
All done!
We wish you a lot of fun with your new dungarees! Show your creation on Facebook and Instagram with the hashtag #atelierjupeElsie or share it in our Facebook group ‘Atelier Jupe - Create & Share’.
Got a taste for it? Have a look at www.atelierjupe.com to discover more patterns and our fabric collection.