Graphic Design Prints

While I knew that I would be making another version of Vogue 2000, I didn't imagine that it would be in a print like this!

But some things just come together for a reason.

And now that I have finished the dress and worn it, I can safely say that this fabric was meant to be a wrap dress.

My only gripe with this design is that the sleeve cuffs make it difficult to get in and out of a coat.  So what could be the perfect early Spring or late Fall garment becomes slightly less useful with changing weather patterns that require an extra layer.

Of course, I could eliminate the cuffs entirely, but they really do give that 1970s vibe, and I think they really add to the look (especially in a print like this!).

But, of course, I am sure that I will be making myself another version, probably close to full length if I ever find the right fabric.  So I could always try the look without cuffs down the line.

My other gripe would be that this is a cotton/poly blend.

I am extremely distrustful of polyester and would like to purge the textile from my closet and everyone else's, quite frankly.  This particular fabric was found at a fabric swap, and while I can feel that there is definitely some poly content in there, I would guess that it contains a fair amount of cotton.  Here's hoping that it doesn't start to pill anytime soon.

To think that I was skeptical of this print!  Turns out, my thought that it would make a perfect DVF wrap dress was right on the money!  And you can never have too many wrap dresses.

Dress: Made by me, Vogue 2000
Necklace:  Gift
Earrings:  Banana Republic
Shoes:  Kate Spade

The Classic Wrap Dress

I have been wanting to make another version of Vogue 2000 ever since I made one in a Halloween themed print in 2024.

The only thing stopping me was finding the right fabric.

I am convinced that the right knit fabric will make or break this design.  As was used for the true vintage versions from the 1970s, a non-spandex textile is really best for this style, and will give the most flattering result.

The pattern is also a bit of fabric hog, so not only did I have to find fabric that I liked, but hopefully something that wouldn't break the bank.  Turns out, someone at the most recent fabric swap that I attended left this fabric behind.  It was out on a table at the end of the swap, at which point we were free to take anything that looked interesting.  I had spotted the print earlier that day, but dismissed it as a bit too much for my taste.  But the more that I looked at it, the more the graphic print looked like the perfect choice for a seventies style wrap dress . . . and so the fabric came home with me.

There were only 3 yards to work with, and the shortened version of the pattern requires almost 4.  But this fabric was 64" wide, and I knew that I would want to shorten the skirt slightly so that it hit more below the knee than mid calf.  It was also possible to cut this in a multi-directional layout because the print doesn't seem to have any specific top or bottom that I could find.

The serger hasn't had much use lately, but it is certainly nice to have around for knit projects to keep those edges from curling.

My one complaint with the instructions is the way that the side opening is handled.  I thought that I would try something a little different for this dress.  I did test it out on a scrap of fabric first, though.

Instead of just leaving a section of the side seam unstitched, I created a mini-facing for the opening.  This fabric is perhaps just a tiny bit thick for this sort of thing, but in the end I am pleased with the results.  And the ties themselves completely cover the area, so while my top-stitching isn't quite perfect, no one but me will ever see it.

Per the instructions, the front neckline is stabilized with seam binding.  And I just love any excuse to pull out the rayon seam binding!

I did have a small kerfuffle with the sleeve cuffs.  From working with the pattern previously, I knew that I wanted to narrow the sleeves considerably . . . which means that the cuffs also need to be narrowed.  No problem.  Or at least, it shouldn't have been a problem.  

Even though I removed what I thought was the same amount of fabric from the sleeve hem and the cuff, the cuffs somehow turned out at least an inch too narrow.

Lucky for me, those pieces are not that large, and I was able to cut out another pair.  I am still baffled by how or why they turned out a different circumference than the sleeves.

Facings were interfaced and finished with a serged edge.

And the front neckline was top-stitched as suggested by the pattern instructions.

Coincidently, I can confirm that this top-stitching mirrors the top-stitching on a true vintage version of the design.

And here is where the dress begins to really take shape.

I do love a classic wrap dress!

I do not, however, love how my serger reacts to a single layer of knit fabric.  But I do have a roll of fusible something or other that is cut on the bias and is about 1" wide.  My solution is to cut that product in half and apply it to the hem edge.

This gives a nice finish and a bit more oomph to the bottom edge of the skirt.

And even though there is a fair amount of visible top-stitching, I do prefer the look of a hand stitched hem.

The final touch is to add buttons to the cuffs to simulate the look of a cuff link.  While I have boxes of buttons, I someone only had two possible options that worked.

In the end, the two-toned buttons were my favorite.

And that's a wrap!

A Silk Slip

I have been meaning to make myself a silk slip for a very long time.  There are a few ready-to-wear options in rotation in my wardrobe (and they get quite a bit of wear, especially during the colder months), but another color/length is always nice to have as an option.

I tend to avoid PDF patterns because I don't enjoy the extra steps necessary to print and then tape a bunch of paper together.  But I was curious enough to see how I liked this design from Charm Patterns, so I decided to forge ahead.

The silk fabric is from a bolt that I found at a garage sale many years ago.  It has served me well, most recently as the lining for this coat.  Since I have a fair amount left, I figured I wouldn't be heartbroken if I didn't love the results of testing this pattern.

While I didn't think that this particular fabric would drop too much on the bias, I like to get that drop out of the way for a project like this.  If the bias were to drop after the side seamlines are stitched together, the remaining hem will bag out but the seamline will not, which looks odd.  Letting the individual pieces hang before sewing any seamlines resolves that issue.

I went with a French seam for the skirt pieces, and used a narrow zig zag as my stitching line to add an extra bit of give to the bias seamline.

One of my least favorite things to do is turn a fabric tube right side out.  This one wasn't terrible, but I still try to avoid the process as much as possible.

The pattern calls for bra findings to make the straps adjustable.  I pondered the idea of using a single strap cut to the proper length, but since I have a bag full of bra findings that I have harvested over the years from retired bras, I decided to make use of them.

So, while I don't think the adjustability is necessary for a slip made for my specific body, it was a fun technique to try out.

One of the reasons that I chose this particular slip pattern is that the bodice is self-lined.  Many other designs that I have seen use facing pieces to finish the upper edge.  I do like the clean finish that the duplicate bodice pieces provides.

Everything went together as expected.

And there was even an opportunity for a little hand sewing (my favorite!).

More hand sewing also means more time on the sofa with a happy pup.

Archie loves to oversee my projects, even if he appears to not be paying attention.

Overall, this project turned out great.

There is a length of dark red silk that I have been saving for quite a few years and I think it would be perfect for a slip.

I don't plan to repeat this project immediately, but I have a whole lot of dark red dresses that I wear in the winter, and I could definitely use another silk slip . . .