Whenever I stumble into a fabric store, I wonder if I have some sort of built-in homing device that points me toward anything that’s blue. Honestly! There’s something going on, because my fabric stash right now is definitely ‘fifty shades of blue’. Given that homing device, you won’t be surprised to hear that, when I happened on this tribal print with a flashy shot of blue, it was love at first sight. What’s a girl to do?

When I made this print mine, I knew it had to be a dress, something simple that would allow the bold colorful design to shine.

I perused my patterns. First up – – A fit and flare style with a bodice with an attached skirt. I laid the pieces out on my lovely fabric. That’s when I realized, this fabric’s print wasn’t random at all. It had a linear flow to it, a design that would be completely destroyed if I opted for a bodice/skirt combo.

Enter McCalls’ 6739, a loose-fitting pullover dress with princess seams and topstitching.

The pattern envelope showed a wide front panel, perfect for my fabric, but the style looked a bit boxy for my already waistless figure. And the options shown were short sleeves or no sleeves. But I wanted long! Well, all of those things can be changed, can’t they?

I dove in! My print was a brushed cotton (nice and easy to wear purchased at Mill End Store) and I had a stable black ponte knit to use as contrast. Both fabrics were a breeze to sew with. The pattern went together quickly – – and the square neck was a new experience for me. What fun!

But my first fitting was a disaster. I looked a bit like a fire hydrant. (Hmm. Maybe this is why I should’ve cut a muslin version first?). What to do? I could not give up on this dress because I couldn’t bear to part with my beautiful print and its crazy shot of blue. So, I turned the dress inside out, stuck it on my dress form, then pinned those princess seams into submission, nipping them in at the waist.

Once pinned, I marked my work with blue tailor’s chalk right on the seams, so that I’d see exactly where my pins had been.  Then, I re-sewed the princess seams on that line to give them a natural arc that would fit to me.

Voila – – instant shape! When it came to the sleeves, altering them to make them long was a no-brainer. I just extended them.

The square neck on this pattern is fun, but here’s the added bonus. It’s so wide, you don’t need a zipper. The dress just slips over your head! How easy is that? Without a zipper, this ’sew’ clocked in at just under three hours. Nice! McCall’s 6739! Where have you been all my life?

I think this dress is just what my wardrobe needs, and I love the print. Let’s see…would you call it an Aztec print or a tribal print or….? Perhaps someone out there can shed some light on the proper name for this print.

I may not know what to call it, but I do know what I love about it. That brilliant patch of blue! Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!