Ms.

Eliza Bennet Shirt

Tutorial
Pattern created by Shelby Greene
Meanie Greene 2011
www.meaniegreene.blogspot.com

This PDF includes:
8 page tutorial
4 pattern pages

If you would like to reproduce the Ms. Eliza Bennet Shirt for
sale, please send me an email request to
shmelby_03@yahoo.com

Also, if you have any questions regarding the tutorial or
need help with sizing, please send me an email or visit my
blog!

Happy sewing!
shelby g
1
























Supplies
For Upper Bodice Front & Back
Patterned Cotton Fabric cut 1 of each: 1 yard
Cotton Lining Plain cut 1 of each: 1 yard

For Lower Bodice Front & Back
Plain or Patterned Fabric cut 1: 1/2 yard
Cut 48 x 18 (you may need to sew pieces together)

For Belt
Contrast Fabric to cut: 68 x 3 strip
In Contract Fabric cut 2: 2 x 1 for belt loops

Additional Supplies
7 zipper
Cotton thread
Fabric marker
Pins
Sewing machine
Scissors
Fabric measuring tape

Images from: http://www.fashion-era.com/regency_fashion.htm#The%20Empire%20Style%201800
Body Measurements:
This shirt is intended to fit
someone who has:
Bust: 33-35

If you need help adjusting the
measurements to fit your body type,
please let me know!
2
C
The Ms. Eliza Bennet Shirt is an easy shirt for an
intermediate seamstress. From cut to finish, it
usually takes me 1.5 hours to complete.
C
Print and cut the pattern pieces, matching the
straps with the appropriate sides and tape. You
may notice that the straps dont line up perfectly,
just trim what doesnt match up.
C
Cut pattern pieces
From both patterned fabric
and cotton lining. Take the
contrast fabric for the belt
and measure and cut out
belt and belt loops. (belt
should measure 68 x 3
and belt loops should
measure 2 x 1 )

Mark the darts on the front of the
bodice using a fabric marker (or felt tipped).
Do not pin the darts together until you have
sewn the lining to the fabric.
C
Cut out the lower bodice fabric. The front
and back should measure each 24 x 18.
This is for a longer shirt, for a shorter shirt,
reduce the length to 15.

You should have all this ready to iron and
sew (belt loops not in the image)+
3
C Iron all of the cut
pieces. First make the
belt and belt loops, since
they are the most
tedious. Fold the belt
right sides together and
sew seam allowance
around the raw edges
leaving 3 space to turn
the belt right side out.
Trim corners and turn
the right way. Press and
sew up 3 opening. At
this time, you can stitch
around the outside for a
more finished look. Iron
flat.

To make the belt loops,
press long edges under
, leaving ends raw.
With edges pressed, fold
fabric in half lengthwise
and press again. This will
leave you with a strip of
fabric that is 3/8 x 2.
Top stitch all edges. Set
belt loops and belt aside.
Next take the bodice fabric front and lining and with
right sides together, pin edges. Only sew upper edges,
leaving side seam and bodice lower edge raw. Sew at
seam allowance.
When sewing straps, leave
end of straps raw, since you
will be gathering and
sewing these separately.




Repeat step 6 with bodice
fabric back. Trim the sewn
edges with pinking shears,
cutting close to the stitches
to help ease curves. When
this is complete, turn right
sides out and iron. You
should have this:
+

The red represents
the edges that have
been sewn and the
yellow represents
the raw edges.
4
C Set the back piece aside. Take
the front upper bodice and gather the
dart dots together (with lining). Fold
the fabric over from center, so that both
darts create a symmetrical look. Pin
and baste stitch along the raw edge.
With right sides together (back & front)
align side seams, pin and sew. Leave one side
open to add the 7 zipper. Press and trim with
pinking shears.

Baste raw edge of all 4 straps using the largest
stitch on your sewing machine (mine is 4). Baste
stitch along all raw edges of the shoulder
straps. Pull each basted stitch so that it gathers.
Match straps, right sides together and pin
gathered straps. Sew seam allowance across
gathering. (REMEMBER TO SWITCH YOUR STITCH
SIZE BACK TO REGULAR SIZE) Pull baste stitches
out once sewn.
5
At this point, the shirt should look like
this. Youre almost there!
1 Sew the side seams of the bottom part of
the bodice. Use seam and remember to leave
room on one side to place the 7 zipper (should
be about 2-3 down on one side). Finish raw
edges with pinking shears and iron flat.
11 Take the upper edge of the bottom bodice fabric (the
one that will connect with the lower edge of the upper bodice)
and sew a basting stitch in the largest stitch size on your
machine. Leave long threads and do not backstitch! Using
basting threads, gather fabric and pin to upper bodice aligning
side seams. Make sure that the zipper seam is on the same side
as the upper bodice zipper opening for placement. Set machine
to regular stitches and sew seam allowance.
6
12 Pin zipper (make sure fabric edges
are folded at each side). Using the
zipper foot, sew in the zipper.
13 Lastly sew belt loops at each side
seam on the upper bodice. Loop belt
through and VOILA! You have made your
very own Ms. Eliza Bennet Shirt! Join my
flickr group with your finished creations:
Ms. Eliza Bennet Shirt.
To make the Ms. Eliza Bennet shirt a dress
1. Follow steps 1-11 for the bodice.
2. You can either cut fabric for the lower part long enough be a
comfortable dress length, or like me, cut band of upper fabric and lining
31 x 4. Iron and attach this band to the lower part of the upper bodice.
Leave zipper seam open (since you will be adding a 12 zipper instead).
This gives it a more fitted look.
3. Cut skirt part of fabric to measure 20x56 (you should have 2 side
seams).
4. Sew side seams together, leaving room on the zipper side to add the
zipper. At this point, you can also add pockets, I added mine 8 down the
seam.
5. Add 2 darts to the back of the skirt that match your figure. Mine are 2
darts. Align the darts so they are balanced with the back bodice.
6. Gather the rest of the skirt by using a basting stitch making sure to
align the side seams. Pin & sew to upper bodice & band.
7. Fold hem over and sew. All done! Pair with some flats and a belt
and you have a cute outfit!
7
























Fabric Selections for the Ms. Eliza Bennet Shirt

When I first created the Ms. Eliza Bennet Shirt I selected a
vintage tablecloth and white cotton fabric as my inspiration.
The vintage fabric had a strong floral and bird motif and
reminded me of my copy of the book, Pride and Prejudice, by
Jane Austen. For contrast I chose a sage colored fabric for the
belt, which helped make all of the colors in the top pop. The
closest representation of the same fabric I have found is
pictured below. Although it has a blue background, it includes
the floral and bird motif. The fabric is a Swirly Girls Design for
Michael Miller Clubhouse.

I found it at Fashionablefabrics.com. The shop features a ton of
gorgeous prints, so if you are looking, check them out. The
fabric pictured happens to be part of my spoils for winning the
Spring Top contest over at Made by Raes blog. Unfortunately, it
is unavailable now (from what I can tell), but if you search for
birds on Fashionable Fabrics, youll come up with some
awesome prints.

Fabric Sites on Etsy that I like:
Whipstitch
Pink Castle Fabrics
8
Cut 2
(outer and lining)
Cut 4
(2 outer &
2 lining)