The dress that wasn't

Sometimes a fabric that speaks loudly about what it wants to be doesn't work out at all. The dress-that -became-a-shirt was wanting to be a long sleeve shirt dress from the second I saw this rayon in Spotlight earlier this year.

I wanted to make more dark background florals, figuring they would be easier to wear. I loved the muted pinks, greens and blues in the foliage and then I spotted that there are two tiny birds hiding in there and I feel in love with it all over again! It is identical fabric to my Alex Birds Shirt, which seems to be a polycotton blend. Despite this, the fabric drapes nicely and is cool to wear.

I decided that a summer dress with long sleeves would be just the thing, our English summers typically being mild but not hot.

I really admired Sewaholic's Nicola Dress with it's soft drape and feminine lines, and decided that I could get pretty close with Simplicity 2447. I really like wearing my sleeveless version and wanted to try adding the sleeves for the look I wanted.

I cut View A in a size 8, without the bib, and lengthened it by 6 inches. I tapered the skirt sides out and removed the scooped hem. This is almost exactly what I did with the linen version, but I changed the construction order a bit. I added a double yoke and used the "burrito method" for attaching the yoke. (I forgot to put the right side facing outward for the lining, so I only got pretty seams, not a pretty facing.) I tried an inward double box pleat, but there wasn't enough fabric in the pleat to make it truly noticeable. I attached the sleeves so that I could flat fell them. Then I sewed up the sides and sleeves with flat felled seams too. I regretted not adding side seam pockets, but this was serendipitous because I would have had to remove them for the shirt.

One element of the construction that I didn't pay attention to, but has affected the finished garment are the two different weights of interfacing that I used. I chose lightweight for the collar but I had some ready cut strips of "waistband interfacing" that I used for the long lengths of button bands. This was much heavier, almost equivalent to my heavyweight interfacing and because the button bands meet the collar stand, it is noticeable. I was sorry that I did this, the collar could have handled a heavier weight. It does, however, seem to lie evenly, something which my other two versions have not done.

I lost a bit of motivation to finish this. I cut it out in June, went away in July, sewed the button bands to the side seams, unpicked them, added the sleeves, decided it looked like a kimono, started another project, and finally made myself finish it - one step at a time, and a sprint to the finish.

Then I tried it on.

It was OK, but not great. Far too frumpy and Granny-like. I tucked it into my jeans and liked it three times more. So the next day, I cut off 34cm and created a faced hem on my new shirt. 

I really like the feel of the fabric, and I love the way it drapes into the cuffs. I didn't make cuff fastenings, I just measured a distance as small as possible that I could still get my hand into. I pleated two knife pleats to fit the sleeve into each cuff. 

Costs:
 Fabric: Spotlight, £20.00
 Pattern: Minerva Crafts, used previously, £0.00
 Notions: 
   Black thread, £1.90
   Interfacing: scraps, £0.00
   Buttons: old shirt, £0.00
Total: £21.90

Sorbet Stripe T-shirt Skirt

Why do I not have a whole wardrobe of skirts made with t-shirt material? It is sooo comfortable! Oh yes, because it is a bit sheer, and a bit lumpy. Oh well, I don't care! So comfortable! And swishy!

I had an idea that I might like to make a skirt out of some blush pink bamboo that I have been hoarding, so I thought I would try out the idea with the remains of my Sorbet Stripe Maxi Dress. I had about 85cm left over, in the full 150cm width.

To make a pattern, I measured my high hip, the area between my actual hip and my waist, and divided that number by 6. I also measured the remaining fabric width and divided that number by 6. Then I cut out 6 pattern pieces from newspaper with those measurements at the top and bottom of each wedge. Because I could turn the pieces upside down against one another, I could increase the bottom edge of each piece by another 4cm.

I squared off the top edge of each wedge to allow for a waistband and then I started cutting out. I added 1 1/2 eighths to each edge for a seam allowance. I sewed the pieces together as I went along, and after 5 pieces I found that I could join them into the skirt. I was a bit confused, surely my maths could not have been as bad as all that? I think the weight of the pieces was making them stretch out to take up the space that the final panel would have taken. (I still need to measure this to check). I didn't want a gathered waist so I went ahead and joined the 5 panels.

I used the elastic from an old pair of boxer shorts and overlocked this to the edge of the fabric, then I zig zagged it down to form a waistband. I didn't have quite enough clearance on my waistband allowance so there are a few puckers in the stitching.

Hemming also done by hand. I have no luck with fine knits on my machine so I always hand finish the hems.

Will I make this pattern for my blush bamboo? I'm not sure. It's a fun skirt to wear, moves nicely and is very comfortable. Blush pink doesn't suit me, so wearing it away from my face is a good idea, but the lumps and bumps show, especially in a plain colour. I might continue to hoard it for a little while longer. At least until it goes out of fashion.

Costs:
 Fabric: leftover from Maxi Dress, £0
 Pattern: self drafted, £0 
 Notions: 
   Overlocker thread: started new spool: £1.89
Total: £1.89

Sorbet Stripe Maxi Dress

I snapped up this striped knit from Fabricana in July. I remember admiring it a 2-3 years ago, so I was  delighted when I saw it on the markdown table for 30% off. At just over £5 per meter, I got 2m.

I had my wish list to make a cardigan with this pink stripe, but when I got it home, I decided that a maxi dress would be just the thing. It must be all that hot weather we were having, Londoners wearing their holiday wardrobes. It's not always pretty, but it's fun!

Being the wrong side of 40 (or 30 for that matter), I didn't want my maxi dress to be figure hugging. I used an existing dress I have for the width, and the Karen Drape Dress for the shoulders and high bust. I laid out the Karen Dress pattern flat, and laid my maxi dress over the top. I didn't worry too much about exact cutting, or seam allowances because my overlocker seams are pretty small.

I kept the neckline of the Karen Dress, it could have gone lower by a stripe or two, but this creates height and I didn't want to fiddle about with drafting a new curve. I finished the neckline and armholes with bands of self fabric.

My RTW maxi dress has side splits to above the knee, which I really like, and is also not floor length, so I copied these features in my dress. I hand stitched the edges of the splits and the hem, giving them a tiny hem in whip stitch. I didn't need to bother with a stretch stitch because the hem does not need to stretch.

I'm really happy with the fit. It honestly seems to skim and not hug, which is exactly what I wanted. The fabric is a little on the sheer side but, whatever, I'm on holiday. Unfortunately, the weight of the dress has pulled the hem down in the first washing. I'll have to figure out a fix for this. Maybe some clear elastic through the armholes.

Costs: 
 Fabric: 2m, Fabricana, £10.20 
 Pattern: Maria Denmark, used previously, £0 
 Notions: 
   Thread, started one new spool: £1.89
Total: £12.09