My Sew Over It London Summer Capsule Wardrobe

It’s been awhile since I’ve written. It’s been hard to imagine posting smiling photos of me in new clothes when there’s anger, hurt and death because of the systematic racism that surrounds us (during a global pandemic, no less). I’ve learned that I know very little about the daily experience of being black. So, I want to say that I’m committed to listening and learning. I support #Blacklivesmatter and am looking to the leadership and posts from @blkmakersmatter on IG. As my first action step, I am committing to making my sewing dollars count by buying from only those organizations that support anti-racism, equality and inclusion. 

Creating anything….art, clothes, music, helps us find our best selves. So in that spirit, I share what I’ve been sewing lately….

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This month, Sew Over It London launched a beautiful ebook calledSummer Dreaming.Tech-Drawings-700.pngIt includes a collection of  patterns that comprise a capsule wardrobe for summer. As a Pattern Insider, I had the opportuitiy to try the patterns before release. So today, I offer an overview of the pieces I made from that collection.

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The key piece in my capsule is the Sorrento Jacket. It’s designed with lots of fun seams, pockets and tabs at the waist. Since I’m a big fan of topstitching, I could hardly wait to sink my teeth into this one. And it did not disappoint!  I was a little concerned about the length of the jacket since I’m short-waisted and only 5’ 4”. The sizing of this pattern was spot on for me. I did do a tissue fitting, paying attention to the shoulders and waistline. In the end, I decided to leave all as is and the fit is good!

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The double seams in the front are so retro and cool. It’s well worth the time required to make it. If I had to say, I’d rate the skills required to make the jacket at intermediate level. Collar insertion and cuffs are required which can be a bit challenging, but the instructions are very complete. There’s lots of topstitching on the jacket which takes time, but I personally love sewing projects with alot of detail. I used a light gray thread to make the stitching pop. I chose medium weight denim and I’m glad I didn’t go any heavier. A heavy denim would make it difficult to get the thick seams pressed and topstitched, so I’d stick with a light to medium weight denim.

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Next up is the Ravello dress… a lovely versatile pattern. You can make it as a dress (long or short) or you can crop it as a top. I made it three ways, as a short dress, a cropped wrap top in linen and also another wrap top in Liberty cotton. The dress is a breeze to make, and is perfect for a beginner. It isn’t lined, so beware of picking a sheer fabric. A linen, lightweight cotton or rayon would be my choices for this pattern. It’s a quick make as the kimono style sleeves are cut into the bodice – – you can make this one in an afternoon. I love my top versions too, and want to make a long dress in the future.

Here’s the long wrap top version.

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And here’s the cropped linen version with the skirt of my Siena sun dress.

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The most challenging piece of all in the collection has to be the Siena dress!

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It can be made into a one piece sundress or made as separates ( a camisole style top and skirt). I love to mix and match so I chose the separates version. The dress has a shirred back and since I’d never tried shirring before I had to give this a whirl. It’s a fun process and not to hard to do. The top wasn’t the easiest piece to fit but end result was worth it. I made both pieces from linen. Rayon or cotton would work well too. I absolutely love the skirt. It will be in heavy rotation throughout the summer.

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My last make from the collection was the Alba skirt.

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This skirt is what summer dressing is all about! It’s a simple wrap skirt that you can make with or without a ruffle. I made it without the ruffle and it was such a fast easy make. A flowy fabric like rayon is best for this skirt. I like to wear it with a tee shirt, or with my Ravello top or my Sorrento jacket!

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This collection really would be perfect for travel (when we can safely do that again! ). The patterns are at a variety of sewing levels so there’s something here for everyone. I’ll use the jacket, dress and skirt patterns again and again. Thanks to Sew Over It for giving me the chance to try out these lovely patterns!

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by.

A Nano Iro Summer Coat

I told myself when the ‘stay at home’ time began, that I would use it as an opportunity to tackle sewing projects that were either time consuming or that had been on my to-do list for awhile. This project falls into both categories.

This coat is from the Nano Iro sewing book, by far my favorite sewing purchase of 2019! I love japanese sewing patterns, and here, they are conveniently translated. 

This pattern is called, appropriately, the summer coat. It’s unlined and best made in cotton or linen, two fabrics I can’t get enough of. I made it before, here and absolutely love wearing it. 

For this version of the summer coat, I used a really special piece of fabric I purchased in Rome last September at an amazing fabric store, Azienda Tessile Romana. 

If you visit Rome, do not miss this fabric store. The fabrics are gorgeous and when I visited, the staff was so helpful and generous with their time. You will not be disappointed. (Hopefully, we’ll all be free to visit there soon.) 

This fabric is a amazing cotton Jacquard and the texture is perfect for this coat (Black is hard to photograph, and these photos don’t do justice to this fabric!) It has just enough body to support the lapels and to give this loose-fitting coat a bit of structure. I wish I had more of this fabulous fabric!

Construction of the coat was easy. The lapels are cut into the coat, then faced. The trickest part for me was the neck facing. Even though I’d made this pattern before, I must admit, I struggled! The diagrams in the instructions helped, but for some reason, it was counterintuitive for me. I couldn’t make the facing fit to the jacket. Eventually, I realized it was because I was trying to fit the wrong side of the facing to the neck opening. Once I came to terms with that, it fit easily. 

I do love this jacket. In fact, the patterns in this book are all on my to-do list. The photos in this book are inspirational too. The fabrics they chose are enviable – – double gauzes and linens in bright colors.  I’m so glad I ticked this coat off my to-do list as it will be absolutely perfect to wear on cool Spring days.

Next up is a Tamarack Jacket. I hope to show that to you soon. 

Sewing is helping me to get through these strange days. Good health and happiness to you all. Thanks for stopping by! 

Travel Mix and Match: Burda Culottes with Two Linen Tops

Hi All! In two weeks, I’ll be traveling to Italy, and there’s nothing like a deadline to get you motivated to sew, sew… SEW. Although I love to travel with dresses (this linen Burda will go with me) I’m going to stretch my options a bit by packing a few mix and match separates too.

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Burda refers to this pattern as shorts, but I consider them to be culottes. I love the wide cut in the leg contrasted with the paper bag waist. This pattern was in the Burda magazine (07/2019 #107A) and there were only TWO pattern pieces to trace…Yahoo! Because I was going for the culotte look, I lengthened them by two inches. Cut from linen, I think they’ll be perfect for Italy’s soaring temperatures.

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The paper bag waist is formed by pleats that are stitiched down at the waist. I decided to add a belt to make the waist more dramatic when I wear them with a shirt tucked in.  I also added in seam pockets – – honestly I can’t live without pockets!

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I’m wearing the culottes with my new Cuff Top by the Assembly line. I love this pattern. It’s simple but unique with sleeves that are gathered at the cuff by wide elastic. Because the sleeves are cut as part of the bodice, it’s really pretty easy to put this top together. The design details are what make this top special to me…the front seam (flat felled and top-stitiched with a double needle) and the wide boat neck (also topstitiched with a double needle).  Because the front of this top is seamed, you could use contrasting fabric to great effect. I’m imagining another version in a stripe! This fabric is a lightweight gray linen, which should be perfect in the heat. 

My second travel top is also made from linen, New Look N6601. 

IMG_2816This wrap top looks much harder than it is to sew. The neck is pretty simple…faced with bias binding.  Luckily, I had enough fabric to make my own. If you’ve never made your own bias binding, I highly recommend it.  It’s really a easy way to make the inside of your garment special. If you’re curious, check out the many tutorials on U-tube. IMG_3066.jpeg

Fit can be a bit tricky for me with wrap tops, but this is drafted so well, I made a slight adjustment for narrowed shoulders and called it good.

I’m really pleased with these additions to my travel wardrobe…there’s nothing like some new pieces to really heighten your anticiaption of a trip!

I know linen wrinkles, but I’m determined to travel with it anyway. It’s perfect for hot weather, and I’ll pack a portable clothing steamer for a quick touch up when needed. I still plan to sew more items for the trip, but time is running out……fingers crossed that I persevere!!  Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by.

 

 

 

#sewjapaneseinjuly meets #tableclothrefashion

July was a big month for sewing challenges. There were so many on Instagram, I coudn’t keep track of them all. For me, two challenges stood out above the rest: #sewjapaneseinjuly and #scarfrefashion, which also includes tablecloths. Yes, my last post was about a tablecloth refashion, but as you all know, one thing always leads to another for me, and that project was so fun. I guess it isn’t too surprising that I had to do another revashion before July was done.

But first, my #japeneseinjuly make…

IMG_2306 This is the Summer Jacket from the Nano Iro sewing studio book.

 

Nano Iro is a watercolor artist who creates beautiful textiles. Her designs are transferred to cotton and linen, which are perfect for clothing. Not only does she create beautiful textiles but she is an author. On a recent shopping trip to Bolt fabric here in Portland, I discovered that her recent book has been translated to English! Of course, I couldn’t resist….this is the summer jacket from that book.

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To me, Japanese sewing books are great because the styles are simpler and cleaner which allows the fabric to take center stage. That’s why, for this jacket, I reached deep into my stash for one of my favorite pieces of linen.

 

IMG_2318My linen has the tiniest bit of sheen which makes the denim color really pop.

IMG_2241I love the classic lines and the shawl collar of this summer jacket. The construction is basic but clever…the shawl collar is supported by a back neck facing that keeps the neck from rolling.  The pockets are patched onto the jacket, which gives it a utility jacket feel, so on-trend! It’s unlined so construction is a breeze. If you can set in a sleeve and attach a basic collar, you’re good to go! Use a medium weight fabric for this project with a bit of drape.  IMG_2305This style works with everything in my closet – – I suspect this jacket will be in my suitcase when I go to Italy this September!

On to the  tablecloth refashion…

IMG_2284This is the Basic Blouse, cut from a circular vintage table cloth purchased at an estate sale. I wish you could see from these photos that the cut detailing is embroidered with blue thread – – Love!!

 

Construction of this top was simple..The sleeves are cut into the bodice so there’s nothing much to it. The trick was in the layout….I had to place the cut detailing appropriately. I used the scalloped edge of the tablecloth as the hem and the center of the tablecloth as the yoke of the bodice. The sleeves are highlighted with more cut detailing, and after some tricky maneuvering I managed to get the sleeves to mirror each other. IMG_2287I added a back slit at the neckline and finished it with bias binding.

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I love my new outfit…and to think both pieces were inspired by sewing challenges! What challenges are you inspired by?

IMG_2190 Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

 

New Pattern: Sew Over It Kitty Dress

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As a Sew Over It Pattern Insider, I had the opportunity to test Sew Over It’s latest pattern, the Kitty Dress. I love a good shirt dress (here and hereand this one is perfect with lots of design details and options that make it unique – a shawl collar, a gathered or paneled skirt, and your choice of sleeves or no sleeves at all.

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It’s the design of the Kitty dress that makes it tick all the boxes for me. It’s so versatile- – two bodice and skirt styles that you can mix and match!  You can choose a princess seam bodice or a two-dart bodice. Both choices can be paired with one of two skirts: either paneled or a gathered option.  Both skirts feature in-seam pockets, and all versions are cinched in at the waist with a waistband, which makes them look great on everyone.

If I had to rate the difficulty of this pattern, I’d say it’s a great option for an intermediate sewer, or for a beginner who wants to learn some new skills. The instructions are detailed and helpful, so it’s easy to dive right in!

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It’s no secret that I love sewing patterns that give you options so that you can play and modify as inspired. At first, since I’m a fan of a bodice with princess seams, I was drawn to option 1, but when I made my fabric choice, I changed to option two. My rayon print is colorful, and I felt the princess seam detail would be lost in the fabric’s design. So, instead, I paired the double-darted bodice option with the gathered skirt.

I love long flow-y dresses in the Spring and Summer, so I made my Kitty dress from a lovely rayon from Joanns’. This rayon has a bit of texture to it, giving it a casual crinkled look that I love. The drape of this rayon is perfect for my mid-length Kitty because it gives the skirt some swish! For added style, I chose the shawl collar, which has a bit of a vintage vibe.

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The double darted bodice was easy to sew – -just two pattern pieces, both shaped nicely by bust darts and waist darts. Because I have a large waist relative to my bust measurement, I made a test version to make sure the fit was accurate, and I’m glad I did.  I quickly realized the darts needed to be widened slightly to compensate for my non-standard waist.

Fitting the gathered skirt was easy. I used my hip measurements to choose the size to cut and it worked great without adjustments. Gathered skirts are so forgiving and so easy to sew!! I love the way this skirt looks and swishes in the mid-calf length. It’s all I was hoping it woud be.

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I love my Kitty dress, so much, version one is in my sewing queue( princess seams and sleeveless), maybe in a cotton lawn or linen for summer. The updated version of the Kitty is available at Sew Over It now.

The weather here in Portland is improving – I hope to take my Kitty outside for a test run soon!

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by.

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McCall’s 7780; A cold shoulder top for Fall

IMG_6450It took me awhile to fall in love with this new pattern by McCall’s. The cold shoulder style put me off at first. I thought I was over that look, but this summer, I’ve discovered that the cold shoulder tops and dresses I made last year (here,  and here and here) are the ones I reach for time and again. The style is perfect when hot days turn to cooler evenings. IMG_6486There are design details I really like about this pattern – – the sleeves cut into the bodice, the flounce detailing on the bodice, the off-the-shoulder look, the wide shoulder straps. I’m not particularly found of the front and back bodice seam, although I didn’t think much about that until I started to cut my fabric. Because my fabric had a horizontal print, I had some pattern matching in the front which I hadn’t planned for. Thankfully, I did have enough fabric!

McCall’s 7780 has so many fun options. You can make the top with straps that tie, you can add a front flounce or a sleeve flounce, or make the top without any flounces at all. I love the solid white on the pattern envelope, but since I have more than my fair share of white tops, I chose to use a rayon print instead (fabricdepot.com). I made version C with the straps of view B without the ties. I’m not wild about ties at the shoulders as they tend to tickle and annoy me.

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Construction challenges:

  • As I mentioned, the front and back center seams required pattern matching…I barely pulled this off.
  • The sleeves are cut into the bodice so their shape is created by folds in the fabric. If your fabric is too stiff, the sleeve folds might look too distinct and the openings for the cut shoulder could lack the soft drape they need to look right.  A soft linen, or rayon or silk would be perfect. Also, I have narrow shoulders and the shoulders fit me perfectly. If you have broad shoulders, I’d do a tissue fit or muslin to make sure they won’t be too tight.

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Besides those challenges, I found the construction of this top, easy and straightforward. I love the style and am glad I finally fell in love with it. It’s the perfect date-night top, or for a lunch out with a friend. The length of the sleeves makes it comfortable on a cool evening too – – great to wear as we transition into Fall!

 

I usually start my Fall sewing mid way through August, but our weather has been so warm, I’m still inspired to make warm weather clothes. Perhaps, I should be cutting into heavier fabrics, but it’s hard for me to sew something I can’t wear right away….not sure if I’m the only one? I love a bit of instant gratification, I guess. So, until the weather changes, I remain a linen/cotton/rayon obsessed seamstress! How about you?

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

Burda Style Raglan Sleeve Dress

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It’s been so hot and smoky here in Oregon. Heavy wildfire smoke has settled over Portland, a depressing reminder of last summer’s fire catastrophe in the Columbia Gorge.

But today, things are looking up! The wind is clearing the smoke away, the outside temperature is moderate and it’s safe to be outside again. It’s the perfect day to wear a simple summer dress.

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Did you see the August issue of Burda Style magazine? There were so many great styles I could hardly decide where to start! I was attracted to this Burda dress by the relaxed but fitted style.

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Most of the shape is created by an elastic waist, and elastic bands on the Raglan sleeves, so there aren’t any darts or waistbands with tricky fit issues. There’s another big advantage of this pattern has…It’s only three pieces!!

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Burda 08/2018 #101 is traceable or available for download.  The fit on this dress was spot on for me, and it was pretty simple to trace the pattern pieces since there were so few.

As with all Burda magazine patterns, the instructions provided were minimal. However, since there are very few seams, construction was straightforward. Of course, inside finishing is never discussed in Burda instructions, so I just finished the neckline with bias tape and serged the seams for a polished inside finish.

This rayon (Fabric Depot) has the perfect drape for summer dress. It’s just the right weight for the gathering at the waist. I’m not a big fan of exposed elastic so I did make a tie belt from matching fabric.

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I don’t know why I don’t sew with Burda patterns more often. Maybe it’s because I have to trace the pattern?? Really though, compared to the time it takes to assemble a PDF pattern, it’s nothing. From tracing to hemming this dress only took a couple of hours…an easy Saturday afternoon make!

Hmmm, there may be more Burda style patterns in my future. What about you…fan or not?

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!

 

 

 

Jumpsuit Love and Two New Buddies

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I knew when I decided to participate in the RTW Fast this year, that I’d have my work cut out for me in a key wardrobe category – – Pants. I’ve always preferred RTW over me-made pants in past years. But in the jumpsuit category, RTW has always let me down; the fit, the fabric… not to mention the comfort factor. Ugh. So, creating a jumpsuit that fit was a challenge I accepted willingly.

Of course, as soon as I finished this, my husband informed me he isn’t a ‘fan’ of jumpsuits. Ha, isn’t that such a guy thing? If he would just wear a jump suit, I’m sure he would change his mind.

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The pattern I chose is Simplicity 8610, a jumpsuit with a slightly raised waist, deep pockets and slight gathers at the waist.

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I was attracted to the details on this one – the raised, gathered waist, the top-stitched bodice band, and the buttons on the straps.

 

This is my first jumpsuit and I was a bit nervous about fit, so I’m glad this pattern was pretty forgiving. The look/fit is so unstructured, there was little I could do to screw it up! I cut the size my measurements indicated and it fit perfectly – a rarity in patterns that must be celebrated! I also found the placement of the back pockets to be spot on too! That’s got to be a first for me. The one modification I made was to shift the gathers so that the center front of the waist is and smooth. I did this because I thought there was a bit of a pooch at the stomach when the gathers were evenly distributed.

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Simplicity recommends soft fabrics like cotton and linen, but I really wanted ‘drape’ so I chose a soft medium weight crepe, and I’m glad I did as it’s so comfortable and easy to wear. It was great to work with – not too slippery and it doesn’t fray. As fabrics go, crepe is pretty versatile – – easy to dress up or down. I might be able to get away with wearing my new jumpsuit in the fall with a shirt underneath. What do you think?

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Are you a jumpsuit fan, or are you in my husband’s camp? I’d love to know pattern recommendations for the future, as I’m loving this one right now!

It’s been a year since our nutty tabby, Dustin, passed, and we decided we’re ready for a new friend. We went to adopt one, and ended up with two babies :). They’re a boy and a girl from the same litter who look like twins; Maggie and Mitchell, only three months old!

They were a bit nervous at first, but are now feeling enough at home to show us their stuff. There’s lots of running, jumping and climbing at our house right now. I’m sure they’ll be leaping into a blog photo or two before too long!

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by.

 

Vogue 9313: Ruffled wrap dress

IMG_4968We’re experiencing a heat wave in Oregon, and the humidity is so high, my hair flips and frizzes, no matter what I do :). When it’s this hot, only a cotton dress will do, and this wrap dress is perfect for these sweaty days.  I became a fan of wrap dresses when I made this one last year. It was so cool in high summer.

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My pattern is Vogue 9313, a wrap dress with lots of “easy” options.  It has custom fit options with A-D cup sizes so it’s pretty easy to get the fit right. I modified the pattern a bit after trying on this dress at Anthropologie.

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  1. I re-drafted the shape of the full skirt to make it take out a bit of the fullness. (Too much fabric makes me hot in the summer). Also, I modified the two front skirts by rounding them into a tulip skirt shape so that it would work better with a ruffle.

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2. Instead of finishing the skirt fronts with bands as the pattern suggests, I added a 3 inch ruffle to each skirt front where the band would be and extended the ruffle into the hemlines as well. The ruffles are folded strips of fabric that are 1 and 1/2 times the length of the skirt fronts and hems. I gathered each ruffle with a long stitch then sewed them to the skirt fronts with a 5/8 inch seam.

4. I eliminated the front and back waist bands and lengthened the front and back bodices by two inches to make up for it.

5. The sleeves were too wide for me, so I added a tie instead of a hem. I cut a 4″ opening in each sleeve to accomodate the tie, then finished the openings with narrow hems. For the tie,  I cut a narrow strip (5″) of fabric that was two times the circumference of the sleeve. I attached it to the sleeve hem as though it was a sleeve band or cuff.

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I came pretty close to my goal with this make. It’s casual and comfortable but can be dressed up with a few good accessories. This cotton fabric from Fabric Depot is perfection. It has a bit of texture, but isn’t too heavy so it drapes really well and doesn’t seem to wrinkle much. Another travel dress?? Hmmm – – time will tell. I’ll know after I wear it a bit more.

Cotton and linen are my go to fabrics in the heat – and I wear dresses all the time. My Kalle shirt dress is in heavy rotation right now. What do you prefer to wear in the heat?

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by.

 

A Travel Dress for France

IMG_4487Did I tell you all that I’m headed to France in September? I’m beyond excited. We’re headed to the Dordogne region followed by a visit to Paris which will definitely include some fabric shopping. I’ve started a packing list and this dress is versatile enough to earn a place in my suitcase.

There’s something about dressing in a bright colors that makes things feel…fun! Not sure if there’s a scientific reason for that, but this dress will be a favorite just because the fabric makes me feel light and happy! This knit from Art Gallery is 95% cotton, 5% spandex. I love the name of the print… Frutteria Bleu. I found it in a shop in Alexandria Virginia that I found on a recent trip to DC.. the Stitch Sew Shop. Their natural fabric collection is nicely curated. I wish I’d had room in my suitcase for more.

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This was an easy dress to make. I used the same method I used for my Day/Night Challenge cocktail dress (here). I took a favorite knit dress pattern, shortened it a bit, then added a skirt.

 

For the bodice, I used McCalls 6886, a TNT pattern that everyone loves because it never fails…it’s an easy sew, the fit is great and it’s always a dress you want to wear!! Since this fabric is so special I could not risk a failure.

This pattern is perfect to embellish, modify, lengthen, shorten…whatever. It’s one of those patterns that really transforms with your fabric choice.

I modified by adding a skirt. To do this, I cut version A of the dress, but shortened it by 8″. That still left the dress bodice quite long, a choice I made so that the skirt would feel more like a ruffle…less like a traditional drop waist dress. To make the skirt/ruffle, I cut a wide (20″) swath of fabric whose width was 1.5 times the circumference of the hem of the shortened dress. I simply gathered that long piece of fabric with a long stitch, then sewed it to the bodice of the dress.

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Because of the long bodice and deep ruffle, I wanted this dress to be long…midi length. In the summer,  I love how a long dress moves in the breeze. It makes me feel…light!

 

 

Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!