I don't know that I have much to say about this project. Based off of Drape Drape 2's draped dress pattern, this dress was actually quite easy to make. I have been postponing making the dress because it involved tracing a pattern from a quite crazily packed pattern form from the book. (They had like four different patterns all on top of one another on the same page.) And I didn't have decent tracing paper to use. After seeing a recent recommendation to use blueprint paper, I simply went to the art store near my doctor's and bought me a couple of rolls. Genius. Why didn't I just do that before. I ask you?!?!? (That's right! It's your fault!)
That said, the dress came together quickly and easily once I finally traced the pattern like I was supposed to. I added sleeves based off of Simplicity 2261's flutter sleeves, and bound the neckline and sleeves with leftover scraps from a jersey sheet I refashioned ages ago. Since the edges of the sheet were already folded and bound, it made the binding super easy on the sleeves and easier on the neckline (similar to bias tape, really).
The fabric is super soft and flowy, which makes this top a pleasure to wear. I'm so tactile. I do think that the weight of the sleeves, along with some possible stretching of the neckline while binding may have stretched the neckline a bit further than I would have preferred. But we'll see how it fairs after a washing or two. If it becomes problematic, I'm sure I'll live. Nothing wrong with wearing a tank underneath.
The best part is that the dress will be super appropriate throughout much of the pregnancy and well after. It is a little short, so I may just wear it as a top at the tail end of the summer. Who knows? I'll keep you up to date as we go along, okay?
So, I had intended on making this dress for New Year's Eve. Not so much because I was planning on going to a fancy cocktail party, as I actually was going to be outside in the cold country for NYE. It was more because I got this for a pattern swap through The Sew Weekly Circle, and they had encouraged us to have our pieces done around the holidays.
The original pattern and starting curtain for fabric. I have other plans for the beads.
Unfortunately, it didn't happen. I blame the fabric. It's green on one side and black on the other. You can't let that go to waste!
Alright, alright, mainly it didn't happen because I was me: I waited until the last minute (New Year's Eve, to be exact) and made the project more complicated than usual (reversible). Not much more complicated in this case. All the problem spots would remain problem spots (read: zipper, slippery loosely woven fabric), but making a dress reversible changes some of the planning for details.
Instead of regular seams, I had to go with flat felled seams for the skirt. Instead of facing, I just did the same cut of the bodice and sewed those two together.
Matching darts was a pain on such slippery fabric, and the darts themselves are way off from the apex of my bust, but, I still think it works overall.
Because the dress was reversible, but the skirt was only one layer, I decided to do an exposed zipper. Using gifted vintage curtains for the fabric, I used the existing hems for the skirt hem and the dress tie. Since that left a bright green hem on the black side of the dress, I decided to go for an exposed bright green zipper to tie it together.
I also added a black ribbon to the dress tie, to cover the hem and any flyaway threads where I cut, and to continue that theme of color blocking.
The fit was quite good! It's a little snug because I had to redo the zipper from my NYE attempt in which I already cut the fabric down and then sewed the zipper to like three layers of the dress. I ended up having to pull in some extra fabric on the side when handpicking it the second time around.
Besides the wandering darts, my main issues with the dress are the zipper (I'm getting better, but still wouldn't consider myself good) and the fact that the zipper isn't technically reversible. Fortunately, I can take my arm out and then unzip it when I'm wearing it green-side out. Most reversible zippers that are already made are for jackets, so are too big and boring for a cocktail dress.
Yay! First project of the year down, now too many to go! (I think I have three or four in mind already, some deadline driven, so you're actually likely to see them completed!)
Kat at the Sew Weekly Circle did it again! She helped organize a pattern swap for members of the Circle recently, and of course I had to partake!
Sandy Vojta, of Harlem Homestead, whose Halloween costume you must go see, got my name. It was not even a week since we were to send our patterns that mine arrived in the mail! And let me say "WOW!"
The collar is mind-boggling, and the pattern is super cool! Sandy has challenged me to lower the neckline, but I'm almost imagining the collar going on that scooped back. What do you think?
I've never sewn on something so fancy, but Sandy assures me it's quite easy. Here's hoping I do it justice and don't botch it in the process. That would be shameful.
Cool part is that I have the perfect fabric for the dress and collar, I think, with that green curtain you see in the picture. My friendly neighbor gave me the curtains to use in a sewing project, so I will be happy to give it a good second life.
I must admit that I did not take pictures of the patterns that I sent to my drawn partner (the lovely Charlotte Powell-Brooks). The last time I did a swap, I took tons of pictures, but then my package took forever to arrive in Australia and I just never did a post on what I sent. To summarize, I sent her three vintage patterns roughly her size. I think I sent one each of the 90s, 80s, and 70s. But I may be wrong. I will post a picture if/when she posts one of what I sent.
I also sent her some vintage 40's fabric with cherries and rectangles on it. And some little moose/reindeer card or picture holders (they're hiding in the back of her picture). Quite cute.
And as an only slightly related statement, I must say I'm eyeing up some fancy silk over at Charlotte's Etsy shop. It would go well this pattern, too, I think.
Christmas has come a tad early in the House of Seeks.
I have to say, Shabby Apple really knows how to get me to agree to almost anything that they say. They say, "jump!" I'll likely jump. A lot.
So, when they say, "Choose your favorite Shabby Apple dress and drool over it on the internetz' public space so you can get a $10 gift certificate for our shop", well then. I'm sold. I mean, bought. Or something.
The great thing about Shabby Apple is not just that the dresses are really stylin' but that they continue to expand on their collections and selections and colors and themes and wonders. In trying to choose my top pick, I realized just how many of their collections I missed out on. I think I could spend almost as much time perusing Shabby Apple as I manage to spend perusing Sock Dreams. (That's way too much, for those unfamiliar.) So, it's hard to really choose a favorite dress and feel settled on it. My initial knee jerk favorite is this lovely:
So, I'm a huge fan of the polka dot and the pencil skirt, but I have to admit that it was really the name that got me. Not realizing that it's a reference to a huge dance festival in the Berkshires, I was intrigued by the name. Because I just got myself a Jacob's pillow of my own.
Almost a year ago, my younger brother Jacob passed away unexpectedly. A friend of the family offered to take shirts of his and make us all pillows with them (that's a lot of pillows, folks). It was just this past month that she was able to bring them by my parents' home for each of us to choose our favorite.
Here's mine:
(And as a side note: what a great refashion idea in general!!)
Funnily enough, when I chose it, I didn't think it would match my home decor, having forgotten that I apparently only have grey pillows. In truth, I had chosen this pillow almost strictly on the grounds of the awesome pockets. It seemed so cozy to me. Begging to be hugged, just like my brother--everyone wanted to hug him. Trust me, he was good at the hugging.
I would have such a lovely nap here, if only I had a cozy shirt-pillow.
In reading the description of the dress (and let's get another shot of this sweet thing), I felt like the inspiration for this dress was very much in the spirit of my brother too. The designer had gone off for a weekend of relaxation in the Berkshires, and after a classical concert came across the following:
It was a group of young musicians gathered around a camp fire--three of them with their violins out sawing away at an Irish reel, the rest making novice attempts at contra dancing, much to their own amusement. I watched from a short distance, their joy and abandon intoxicating, before someone in the line noticed me. A girl of about 20 came skipping out of the line over in my direction, and, without a word, grabbed my hand, pulling me into the dance.Abandoning all the city girl in me, I joined them, sashaying and curtsying and do-si-do-ing until I couldn't stop laughing and had to take a rest...
My brother loved the fiddle, and he and I often liked to try playing together. Neither of us were very good, but we learned quickly and fell in love with the idea of learning to play. It was supposed to have been him who would have played the processional (Pachelbel's Canon) at my other brother's wedding in May. Instead, my cousins and I performed in his place.
After his funeral, we all gathered at my aunt and uncle's and had a similar gathering as the designer describes: bonfire, fiddle music, banjo, dancing, singing, whooping, and laughing. Because that was Jacob.
All in all, it seems to add up. In time for the Day of the Dead, when I get to honor those who have gone before me, I have an opportunity to connect with my brother in the most unexpected of places. So, as morbid as it may be, how could this dress not be my favorite??
