Talking Flowers

I had a feeling that I would love this dress.  And I do!

For some reason, I decided to cut the pattern one size larger than I usually do, which was a mistake.  But the added bust pads and the waist stay saved it for me.

This project has reminded me how much I love wearing a tiered skirt.  

What I do not love is gathering all of that fabric, but it's almost worth the aggravation!

I am also quite thankful that I had the yardage to lengthen the skirt.

The more yardage a design requires, the more likely I am to want to make it!

There were plans to make another tiered dress before the Summer weather ended, but here we are in September and there is a distinctive brisk feeling to the mornings and evenings.  

So I believe that I will leave the more warm weather coded fabrics and colors behind for the year.  

I do love Fall dressing, but I somehow manage to run out of time before the rain and real cold has entered the chat.  Here is hoping that I can manage at least one autumnal themed sewing project before then.

And while this particular design may not have turned out exactly as expected, and I am not sure that I will be making another version, I am quite pleased to have another cotton floral frock in my reperatoire.

Dress:  Made by me, McCalls 8575
Necklace:  Ali Khan
Shoes:  Banana Republic

A Summer Find

There are certain projects that get neglected for whatever reason, and this was one of them.

I know that I rushed to finish it for pattern testing, and I didn't actually hem the skirt for quite a while after the rest of the dress was complete.

It may be that the weather got away from me, and by the time I had stitched that hemline, the weather was too cold, or a pastel floral just didn't feel appropriate to wear.

But eventually, I got around to hemming the dress.  I actually love hand sewing, so I couldn't tell you exactly what my issue was.

And then it hung on the back of the sewing room door, for no obvious reason.  But at least the dress was completed.  That gives a sense of accomplishment, at the very least. 

Turns out, I love the print, and the dress isn't too shabby, either.

Now that I finally got around to wear the darn thing, I am quite happy to have another easy to wear wrap dress in my closet.

And I suppose that is the most important thing.

So perhaps I should get back to all of those other works-in-progress!

Dress:  Made by me, "Jade Wrap Dress"
Blouse:  Gap
Shoes:  Kate Spade
Earrings:  Etsy

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

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 . . .

Oversized Florals and Petticoats

Every once in a while, a project comes together in a way that feels as though it was meant to be.  This was one of those projects.

I had the pattern stashed away for a couple of years, waiting for the right fabric when I found this Waverly print.  It was a remnant and had been cut in two pieces, so I wasn't entirely sure that I would have enough.

Well, not only was there enough yardage, the oversized print almost seems made for the pattern draft.

The skirt front is cut in two and pleated down, and even though I didn't really have any extra to fudge the pattern placement, it just worked out.

I did have enough extra to make sure to pattern match the back bodice, even though it meant "wasting" a bit of fabric.  But then I was able to use those partially mutilated motifs to make myself shoe clips and hair combs.

The skirt pleats gave me a bit of grief, and I was unable to perfectly match where the pleats come together on the bodice front at the waistline with the skirt pleats, but the design calls for the addition of a ribbon.  I ended up using a piece of fabric to make the "ribbon" which also hides the slight offset of those two pleat apexes at the waistline.

I also love that I had an excuse to pull out my potted plant purse - it almost looks as though I made it just for this dress.

This outcome is perhaps more "day-dress" than the initial intent of the pattern design due to my use of a non-polished cotton textile.  But I do love all of the extra special details that went into making the dress.

Is this feasible for ready-to-wear garments made today?  Absolutely not.  

But I do think that the more we get away from the completely disposable and almost unwearable trash that gets manufactured today that won't last more than a wear or two, and get back to purchasing or making clothing that is meant to last, the better off we will be!

I was thinking about how I no longer look forward to going to resale shops like Salvation Army or Goodwill (not just for questionable business practices) but even the smaller local thrift stores now are overrun with low quality items from fast fashion retailers.

It is a reminder of how lucky I am to be able to make my own wardrobe.  The thought of having to choose garments from retail establishments give me a sense of dread.

Thankfully, I have a sewing room full of fabric and patterns that should keep me busy for the foreseeable future making my own wardrobe.

Dress:  Made by me, Vogue 100
Shoes:  American Duchess, "Ginger Pumps"
Hair Combs and Shoe Clips:  Made by me
Necklace:  Grandmother's