Month: September 2018

Inari Tee/ Dress Three Ways

Published on by ellegeemakes17 Comments

PicMonkey Collage-8As luck would have it, I have another ‘three versions’ post for you this week. The Inari tee/dress is such a versatile pattern, it’s impossible to resist a bit of experimentation once  it’s on the cutting table!

The lovely Inari tee/dress by Named Clothing has been around for a while, but it hasn’t lost its appeal for me.

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I love the boat neck, the high low hem, the relaxed cocoon fit and the side slits that give the look a bit of an edge. Then, there are the lovely finishing touches, the sleeve bands, the hem stitching….it’s the little things that elevate this pattern to bring the look home!

The pattern includes two variations: A loose-fitting tee dress and a cropped A-line tee. The dress is slightly cocoon-shaped, with an uneven hemline. There are slits at the sides of the dress and you can finish the neckline with a facing or a separate neckband. This pattern works with a light to medium weight fabric, either woven or stretch which makes it doubly versatile! The instructions are really complete and easy to understand on this pattern. I think even a beginner would find it instructive and satisfying to sew.

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My fabric is a linen/rayon blend from Joann’s that is medium weight with a nice drape. I love the way the side seams wrap around to the front on this dress, causing the cocoon shape. There’s something so ‘cool-girl’ about a cocoon shape:).

My other versions evolved from the cropped tee version. I am not a big fan of cropped tees unless they’re on a teen, and this tee is really cropped. So, I added a ruffled bottom to the hem of the bodice.

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This is my buddy, Mitchell…he had to be in these photos. His twin, Maggie is too shy to participate, but Mitchell loves all the attention he can get. He’s about six months now, such a funny, outgoing guy! Don’t worry about Maggie, though. She can definitely keep up. I’m guessing she’ll be pushing her way into photos soon enough.

IMG_7917I loved working with this rayon from Fabric Depot, and it feels so cool and light on. To make this version, I cut a hem band that was 1.5 X the width of the hem, and made it seven inches deep so that when hemmed, it would add six inches to the length of the bodice. I gathered it with a long sitch then sewed it to the bodice and hemmed it.

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My next version is made of lightweight shirting from Joann’s. The stripe on this fabric is so striking….just had to have it. For this version, I shortened the bodice on the cropped tee by two inches and widened the ruffled bottom by two inches as well so that the top would have more of a raised waist look. I wear this one constantly! The weight of this cotton is light, but it launders so nicely and wears well in any temperature.

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All of my Inari makes will transition well into Fall because they’re perfect with a long cardigan or a short jacket. If you haven’t given this pattern a try, I highly recommend it. There are lots of inspiring versions in blog land and on Instagram, so give it a look!

In sewing happenings, Indie Pattern Month starts next week on the Monthly Stitch. I plan on participating in at least two of the challenges. I hope you’ll join me.

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

Three Versions: Darling Ranges Dress

Published on by ellegeemakes27 Comments

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I’m back from my wonderful trip to France (more about that later) and am trying to ease back into the real world. So far, between jet lag and the growing awareness that daily life is not *quite* as stimulating as vacation life, it’s been a bit of a struggle. Lethargy and lack of motivation has been the mood. However, I do have a plan. This weekend I’m going to take a quick trip to a fabric store to peruse the new Fall patterns and see where that takes me.

In the meantime, I want to share with you a pattern I’m quite in love with!

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Megan Nielsen’s Darling Ranges dress pattern has been around for a while so it’s easy to find inspiring makes on social media to cheer you on. It’s pretty versatile, with two options for the dress (with or without gathered waist) and a top. Before I left for my trip,  I made three of the dresses in quick succession. I hoped to blog it before I left, but alas…that didn’t happen! I love them all, but have a special place in my heart for the two linen versions, because, well, LINEN!

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My first version is made from a striped linen/rayon blend that I found at Joann’s early this Spring. I didn’t have quite enough to make the sleeves, so I had to modify, but I’m happy with the result. It’s easy to wear as is, or, with a tee under it, it will work well for Fall. The in seam pockets are great…very convenient without a lot of bulk. This dress went to France with me, and it did its job well. The tie is meant to go in the back, but I can’t stand the feeling of a tie when I lean back, so I extended the length so that it can be worn in front.

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This green version is made from plaid cotton shirting (ModernDomestic) so it required a bit of pattern matching. I eliminated the waist tie on this version to keep the fit loose. The sleeves are lengthened so that they’re easy to roll or push up. The pockets are self drafted and are cut on the bias.

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Version three is made from a lovely embroidered striped linen I found at Mill End store here in Portland. Here’s a close up of the fabric.

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The only changes I made to this version was to hem it about a inch longer. I also made the waist tie an inch wider so that it would look more substantial when I tied it in the front.

Fit and challenges: 

  • Shoulders – – Usually I have to do a narrow shoulder adjustment – – not here! So if you have wide shoulders, the fit on this dress may need some adjusting.
  • Fabric required – – Yes, this takes a lot of fabric! I tried to skimp a bit because I’m short, and ended up with a sleeveless version when I didn’t plan on one. Yes, the dress turned out fine, but (as usual), I should have respected the stated fabric requirements to avoid that situation.
  • Button placement – – The way they were positioned on the pattern would have left gaps where I didn’t want them, so I had to do some significant repositioning.

 

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All three versions are really wearable. My favorite is probably the last one, the embroidered linen, although I’m fond of the green version too. My husband has a strong dislike to that one – – his reason? “Some dresses aren’t meant to be made in green!” Hmmm…interesting and, well, thought-provoking. I hope he’s wrong, because I predict that version will be in heavy rotation this Fall. Will I make this dress again, or is three enough? Not sure…I’m tempted to make the waist less version, although I wonder if it will be too boxy. Thoughts? Please share.

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!!