My every-day wardrobe consists of easy-to-wear layers. But once I year, I have the opportunity to really dress-up. The choir that I sing with, Oregon Repertory Singers has an annual fundraiser where formal attire is required. I always look forward to the opportunity to sew and wear something special.
In past years, I’ve sewn cocktail length dresses, but this year, I wanted something different, so I decided to go ‘long’. Honestly, in all my years of sewing, I’ve only sewn a couple of long dresses. What?? I know!! If it isn’t time now, when will it be?
For the pattern, I chose Vogue 9311, a long dress with optional sleeves and ruffle. I love the v-neck line and think that it gives the dress a look of elegance. I made the long sleeve version, but shortened them to 3/4 length. Instead of cuffs, I used elastic to gather the base of the sleeves. I wanted to be able to push them up and away from my dinner:).
The biggest challenge with this make was the fabric. I love the look of this burnout velvet, but it really was tough to work with. The shimmer comes from shiny gold fibres that are woven into the spaces between the sections of velvet ‘burnout’ and they tended to snag. Also, the fabric frayed like crazy so I finished all the edges with my serger before sewing the seams. I purchased microtex needles which really worked nicely!
Even though the pattern doesn’t call for a lining, I chose to line the bodice and skirt with solid black silk. This really helped give the skirt more body and structure. The lining was easy to create and gave the entire dress a nice finished feel. It’s so lovely to wear! The ties are meant to be worn in the back, but they were so long, I was able to play around with the look, and decided I liked them better in front.
I’m pretty pleased with my new frock and absolutely love this Vogue pattern. It’s been in my stash for awhile, and I’m so glad I finally decided to make it. I can imagine a version for Spring, maybe in linen. I really enjoyed wearing this dress last weekend. It felt so elegant. The good news is that I’ll have another chance to wear it when we sing with the Oregon Symphony in April.
This project really marks the end of winter sewing for me. I’m really ready to sew up some of my lovely woven fabrics for Spring and Summer. How about you?
Happy sewing and thanks for stopping by!
I’ve really enjoyed the #sew happy color challenge on Instagram. It’s inspired so many lovely posts by members of our sewing community! The premise of the challenge (created by @katiekortmanart
Hi all! I’m back from a bit of a holiday break with a plaid jacket, inspired by one I saw in Vogue pattern Magazine. If you’re like me, you look forward to each issue of the Vogue Pattern magazine because there is always something there that will spark an idea for a project. This issue was one of my favorites as it was all about PLAID.
We’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 
Hi All – – My husband is usually quite generous with compliments when I finish a make. But this coat got a strong, very negative reaction out of him! It caught me so off guard, I had to run to my girlfriends for reassurance. Yes, this coat isn’t the classic style I usually gravitate to, but I can’t always wear or sew the same old thing, am I right? That’s why I was drawn to this coat’s interesting hemline, and of course, that’s the detail, that makes my husband squirm. 
It reminds me a bit of this Burberry wrap coat I saw on line.
Of course, the challenge of this make was the plaid matching, made even more so by the fact that I have not changed my ways when it comes to buying fabric. I tend to buy on the short side….and that’s really crazy when the fabric is a plaid. When will I learn? Because I was short on fabric, I had some panicky moments as I tried to get the sleeve plaid to match the bodice plaid, but eventually, it worked. And let me tell you, after all that work, there’s no way I’m going to let one man’s opinion keep me from wearing this coat! Ha!
Okay, I might be finished with swing dresses for a bit now :). My only concern with this dress is that I might have overdone it here a bit with the lace mash-up. I’ll probably wear it all the time anyway!
Hi all! The inspiration for this stash-busting top was a Philip Lim creation I saw at the San Francisco Saks a couple of weeks ago. It’s so fun to wander around in that amazing store, a real treat for me since we don’t have a Saks here anymore (wah!). But when I saw this top it was instant ‘love’. The bold plaid, the color blocked side panels, the contrast trim and stitching, I wanted it all. But alas, the price tag….
The pattern I used for this make is a tried and true: Vogue 9054.
A detail I love on the inspiration top was the stitching on the front and back panel seams. To get that look, I top stitched those seams with a decorative stitch. I wanted to use the flat lock stitch on my serger, but alas, it just wouldn’t behave. My substitute stitch isn’t quite as stunning, but I still like it.
Well, I think my top will work as a reasonable substitute for the Philip Lim top, and wearing my DIY version will save me from spending hundreds of dollars I don’t have. I rarely think that sewing saves money, but when it comes to designer fashions, it has a very strong edge. Thanks to Philip for the inspiration! The colors of this top make it a seasonal transition item, I think, and I feel almost Springy as we persevere through another ice storm with freezing rain. Ugh!
Hi all – – I’m pleased to be showing you my dresses as part of the Day and Night Dress Challenge Blog tour. Thanks to Elizabeth of 
I’d wear dresses every day if I had enough of them! Dresses are perfect for everything a day can dish out: running errands, a business meeting, or (!!) happy hour. But to me, a day dress just has to have pockets. I feel weird if I don’t have somewhere to stick my hands! That’s why I picked McCalls’ 7464 for this make. It has curved pockets, a design element that mimics the line of the curved inset.The pockets were lined, but very easy to sew. The challenge was cutting and placing them on my plaid woven cotton. There’s nothing like a plaid matching challenge to test your determination!
I love how the curved insets add shape at the waist. I used a solid ponte knit for the insets and the sleeves so that it would provide a calming contrast to the busy plaid. The ponte knit, although stable, has a teeny bit of give, and since it’s placed at the waist, this means this dress is really comfy.
I’m crazy about lace (as if y’all didn’t know that!), and when I saw this black lace at the 
I paired the lace with black velvet, because, well…it’s velvet! To make the dress, I lengthened one of my favorite top patterns, 
I love Swing-y dresses when I go out, because they have a dressy-vibe, without being fussy. To get the swing look of this dress, I extended the a-line of the top pattern by 8″. Then, I added an 8″ border of lace to the hem. I didn’t line the lace border, because I like the see through quality of the lace. With black hose/tights, I hope it’s not too revealing, just dramatic? I know this LBD will get a lot of use.
