An Old Friend

I feel like I am returning to my roots.  I started sewing clothing in high school and was very into the empire/high waisted silhouette at the time, in large part due to my obsession with Jane Austen and the plethora of costume dramas that came out in the mid to late 1990s.  

In the last few years I have been expanding the silhouette options in my closet, and when I rediscovered a version of McCalls 9340 that I made about 25 years ago, I thought it would be fun to make another now that my sewing skills have improved significantly.

As far as the changes go, I am happy with the added "ruffle" at the neck and sleeve.  That went as planned.

And I do love the added texture that the pleated addition gives to the hemline.

There was an issue with the neckline being too large using the suggested length of elastic, but that was an easy fix.

And as far as looking like a nightgown, the print does perhaps lend itself to that type of garment, as does the silhouette.  But really, considering that many people go out in pajama bottoms and tanks or leggings as a daily uniform, I will give myself some grace and say that this qualifies as elevated sleepwear if anyone mistakes it for an actual nightgown.

I am not completely sold on the high waistline, but I will admit that the dress is very comfortable to wear on a hot day.  I don't care what people say, but higher quality quilting cotton works as a fantastic textile for clothing.

At this point, I am going to dig around in my older patterns and see if there are any others that are worth making again.

It might be fun to make small adjustments or add details like I did with this project.  Then again, I have a stack of about four new(ish) patterns that I would really love to get to before the weather changes.  But seeing as it's already the end of August, I don't see that happening . . .

Dress:  Made by me, McCalls 9340
Shoes:  Soludos Wedge Lace-Up

A Basque Waist

I will confess, I have a lot of fabric living in my sewing room and, if I'm being honest, some has migrated beyond the confines of the sewing room.  And much of it has been with me for quite a few years.  I feel like I have a pretty good working knowledge of what particular fabric should be paired with a pattern (even if it may not be the most "correct" sort of textile for dressmaking - I'm looking at you quilting cotton and upholstery fabrics).

This means that while I may not have the exact project in mind for a particular textile, if the print is tempting, or if it seems like it has possibilities, I will hold onto it until the right project appears.  And rediscovering a fabric that is perfectly suited to a great pattern is so much fun.

But for whatever reason, the fabrics that I picked up from the JoAnn closing sale not too long ago keep finding their way into my hands when I go to start another sewing project.

Case in point, this vibrant printed quilting cotton.

I did have to make a few changes to the given pattern to fit everything onto the yardage that I was working with, but as soon as I rediscovered this 1980s pattern I knew that this print was a perfect match.

And I'm not mad about using my most recent fabric purchases.  It means that they will not end up stashed away for years, waiting for their turn on the sewing table.

Then again, I know that there are some great bits of fabric just waiting for the right project.

So it would probably be wise to do a deep dive into those forgotten fabrics and reorganize everything to see if inspiration strikes.

Then again, it's so much more fun to just dive right into the next sewing project!

Dress:  Made by me, Vogue 7083
Shoes:  Nine West

Strawberry Blossom

While this project was a long time coming (I've been wanting to make this dress for about 20 years now) I am so happy that I finally found the right fabric and the time to get started.

While the construction of the bodice front did give me a bit of grief, I am happy to report that the changes that I made were successful, and the extra work was definitely worth any added aggravation.

But the most obvious part of the dress is the print!  I actually found this yardage on Poshmark a couple of years ago for a great deal.  I've already made a skirt and top with the combination of the larger and smaller sized print, and I will have enough left over to make another item when the right design comes along.

There is just something about a novelty print with the added whimsey of using fruit as the main design element.

Dolce & Gabbana are probably the best at creating amazing fruit and vegetable themed fabric prints, but the companies creating motifs for quilting cotton are also doing a great job.

This particular print is older, I believe.  If i had to guess, I would say it's from the late 1980s or early 1990s.

And it gave me a chance to pull out my strawberry earrings.

Perhaps best of all, the added fullness created by the skirt godets is really fun to wear and walk in.

I am thinking that the pattern pieces would also make a great skirt.

Then again, all of that top-stitching was a lot of work . . . but it just might be worth it!

Dress:  Made by me, Vogue 2785
Earrings:  Etsy
Shoes:  Kate Spade

Jewel-Toned Florals

This is a reminder to myself and everyone else that once you find a pattern that you enjoy making and, perhaps more importantly, enjoy wearing, you might as well make yourself more than one!

I made the first version of this dress back in 2013 with an extremely limited amount of fabric.

When I finally got my hands on this floral wool, I realized that I would have to find the right pattern since I didn't have that much to play with, and I didn't want to make a blouse . . . the fabric needed to be a dress.

And then I remembered Simplicity 2126.  Of course, it took a while to find the darn thing - they are always in the last place you look.  I was a little concerned that I had given it away at a pattern swap, but I finally pulled down a box that I haven't looked in for many, many years, and there it was.

It's a very classic 1940s silhouette.  And really, the most interesting thing about the pattern is the neckline.  But somehow, the combination of the pattern paired with the right fabric makes a great dress.

I should probably take a deep dive into the boxes of patterns that I haven't rummaged around in for a few years, because there are probably more neglected patterns that I have completely forgotten.

In this case, the fabric came first, which led to the rediscovery of a pattern.  But starting with the pattern in hand and searching for an appropriate fabric can also be fun.

I have been meaning to make myself another denim skirt, so perhaps I can limit the search to skirt patterns to keep from getting completely distracted by all of the pretty designs and dreaming up another ten or twenty projects to add to the queue.

I also feel as though the pattern stash is getting a bit out of hand and perhaps I could multi-task and gather a bunch of patterns for the next pattern swap that comes along.  Because at this point, I am never going to be able to make up half of the patterns that are living in the sewing room.

Dress & Belt:  Made by me, Simplicity 2126
Shoes:  Sam Edelman "Arlene"

Never Enough Polka Dots

I have added another Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress to my collection, and I am not sorry about it!

And while I am not a huge fan of working with rayon/lycra knit fabrics, now that I have finished sewing the dress, I can enjoy wearing it, and forget about the aggravation as it slithers across the sewing table.

I know that it won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I will probably wear the dress with the v-neck facing the back most of the time.  It seems like most people prefer the standard v-neck worn in the front, but I have a lot of v-neck dresses, so this makes for a nice change.

And the nice thing about a reversible dress is that I can always change my mind later on!

It has also become quite clear to me that I am a massive fan of the polka dot.  Dress, blouse, shoes, purse - give me all of the polka dots!

And wrap dresses just might come in a close second.

The shorter length works great with the dotted fabric, but I do love a full length wrap dress.  The only downside is the amount of yardage required.

I would also love to be able to find a cotton print jersey fabric or a rayon/cotton blend in a slightly heavier weight.

The original textiles that were used for these dresses are some of the most flattering and comfortable fabrics that I have ever come across.  Why did they start adding spandex and lycra to everything?!

But even with all of my griping, this is a wonderful pattern.

It really doesn't get much easier than throwing on a wrap dress to look completely put together in no time at all.  And no zipper or buttonholes to contend with is just the icing on the cake!

Dress:  Made by me, Vogue 2060
Shoes:  Miss L Fire
Earrings:  Etsy
Bag:  Harvey's Seatbelt Bag