How to MAKE Cheryl’s ‘dustbin lid’ David Koma dress

Source: ITV.com

Sewing Expert Dawn Wood says:

Take a strapless black dress, such as those seen here,  and cut 2 circles of similar black fabric. The inner circle to be the circumference of your neck, with a small lap over for fastening, and making it approx 10cm wide plus the addition of a 1.5cm seam allowance on all sides

Placing the right sides of the circles together stitch around the inner and outer edges, cut tiny v’s out of the seam allowance of the outer edge and nicks into the seam allowance before pressing the seams open and turning right side out. Turn in the raw edges at the centre back and either attaches a button and buttonhole, ribbons to tie, a press stud, hook and eye or Velcro to fasten.

The next step is dependent on the top edge shape of your dress. You can make it more exaggerated by adding a band of fabric across the top edge in a curved shape. Interface it so it stands stiffly.

If you are feeling daring you could unpick the centre front seam of the dress and sew a small piece of ribbon at bust level to join them back together. You can also reshape this seam so make a gap similar to the David Koma one.

For the bead trim draw, using tailors chalk, straight lines where you want the beads to lay. The longest available bugle beads are approx 12mm long, so, unless you want to spray straws with silver paint, you will need to sew a few along the lines to get the same effect

Mark on the finished circle where you want the straps to be to attach it to the dress and then do the same on the top edge of the dress. Cut ribbons to the required length and then sew to the underside of the collar at the marked points and then to the dress so that they lie flat and smooth.

To finish the dress, line the band of fabric at the top of the dress, if you’ve added one, and then neaten the centre front seam by sewing the lining down or binding with a piece of ribbon.

Dawn Wood