New Look at a 90s Dress

This last weekend was a long weekend -- and I took advantage of it to start a new dress project, and also to finish an old one! I've had this soft rayon knit cut out as a New Look 6542 since January, and thought I'd better finish it up before the hot summer weather arrives. It's also one more UFO off my list for this month...I only have two more to go.

In any case, I wanted to try this simple 90s pattern for a pullover dress. It looked comfy and back in fashion, at least enough to try out! It was a very easy sew but my fabric choice made it a bit trickier. This is a thin, very soft and drapy knit. I had to try a few needles before finding one that didn't leave marks in the fabric (ended up with the finest stretch needle in my multipak). It also means that the weight of the skirt has pulled the waistline down a bit, so it's less empire than intended. This dress grew about an inch today while I wore it!

The problems I had with this were mainly fabric ones. But there was also an issue with the pockets -- the markings have them so low, especially with the vertical stretch effect, that they are not usable as they are. I will have to take them out and move them up about 3 inches, to the waistline seam. This will not be too hard as I didn't understitch or reinforce them, wondering if they'd need to be moved in the end. So it will be a relatively quick unpicking and shifting project, one night's work. Then I can wear this as I like.

It was a fun project, and a good use of more of my stash fabric. But the pattern is so similar to the more current Moneta pattern by Colette that I'll probably just stick with that one in future. Now to finish my black floral dress that I also started on the weekend...

Velvet Mash Up Dress

This is a love-hate kind of dress. Love because I adore the fit and the mix of two patterns which turned out just as I'd imagined, and I absolutely love the print & colours of this fabric. Hate because it's a polyester and because of the print I broke my rule about not buying plastic poly, and this fabric sheds fibre like the dickens. It's so bad. I feel environmentally shamed by it.

It's so bad I had to wear a dust mask while sewing it. And when I washed and dried it, I had SO MUCH lint to clear out, more than once.

Other than that confession, I do like the final product.

I used the bodice of the Colette Moneta dress, which I've made twice before. This time the fabric doesn't have quite as much stretch, so it is a little snugger than my others (but I like it). I didn't want any gathering on the skirt with this print, so I matched the bodice up with the skirt of Butterick See & Sew 5870, which I've made in bright magenta ponte and really liked.

They went together beautifully. I only had to square up about an inch all around in size differential. And the shape of this skirt really skims the body -- it's perfect for pear figures, I think. I did add pockets (of course) as I always do. This time I just used a cotton broadcloth scrap for my pocket bags, so they won't stretch out. There isn't a lot of vertical stretch in this fabric either, so it all works together.

After figuring out how to fit these two patterns together and cutting, this went together easily. It was a quick sew, with a turn-under-and-stitch hem at sleeve and skirt, and a neckband sewn on. The neckband actually worked fairly well on my first go this time! I used the formula that another blogger shared -- the size of the neckline opening minus 15% equals the band length. It is good enough that I didn't have to redo this one. Success!

The most difficult part of this project was (and is) the fabric. After all that, it is still shedding! I recall why I don't buy cheap poly velour often, and won't be doing it again. But I can still enjoy the beautiful colours of this, and the fit, nonetheless.

It's so pretty!!

Have you ever made something that you love and hate equally?

Day & Night Dress Challenge

Because I have nothing better to do and so much spare time (hahaha) I decided last minute to join the Day & Night Dress Challenge hosted by Elizabeth Made This.

I highlighted my "Coffee Dress" yesterday -- this sunny day dress is made from a soft and lovely cotton flannel, and the Jennifer Lauren Laneway Dress Pattern. It's perfect for day wear and cozy enough to sit around in having coffee and danishes, I think. I will have to test that hypothesis immediately.

My "Cocktail Dress" is made from a sparkly knit I picked up at the Goodwill a few years ago now. I thought its nighttime feel contrasted well with the sunny feel of the Laneway. Also, as you can probably tell by now, prints are really my thing.

I used a favourite TNT pattern, Kwik Sew 3559. I love the way this pattern looks, either as a dress or a tee, and how it changes its feel according to fabric. I would definitely wear this one with some sparkly beads and heels to a cocktail event. Or with these gold accented flats for after work drinks.

It's such a simple pattern, really 3 pieces and a bias neck facing. I quickly turned under and stitched the sleeve hems -- probably too quickly, as I didn't press, and looking at these pictures I can tell! Time to toss it under the iron... But I started it at 9:45 last night, and was hemming it by midnight. So it's really a quick and easy standard for me. I really love how it fits and the overall shape.

It's loose but not baggy; in fact I might have benefitted from an extra inch across the lower back. But then each version is different, according to stretch of the fabric. This particular fabric was a thrift store bolt -- I had 5 m. of it, and since this only takes 1.5 metres, I still have a fair bit to use in future.
I think this dress suits this sparkly print, and can see wearing it in many different settings.

Here is how I wore it today, accessorized. I was also wearing a little black cardi but took it off for photos so that you could actually see the dress ;)

Thanks once again to accommodating coworkers who will snap pics of me on our breaks!

I'm also participating in a "Dress a Month" sewalong on Pattern Review so these will go right into my count there. It's fun to have some incentive to stitch up something new.

Speaking of new, I'll soon share some first looks at my project for the Literary Sewing Circle & our  reading of Dance, Gladys, Dance. I've been inspired by Frieda's colourful canvasses... hope you have some ideas too.

Paisley Butterick Tunic

I just finished this lovely, flowy tunic made from some paisley print 100% polyester that a friend gave me for Christmas... in 2015!  I couldn't decide what in the world to make from it - I didn't want to waste it, and had to find just the right thing - but finally settled on this pleated tunic-like top, Butterick 5388. I love it!

There are a number of fairly distinct views in this pattern -- different sleeve and neckline options -- and I'd like to make them all. I chose View C this time as I thought it suited this fabric best. 

I really like how this fabric floats out from the front and back pleats. It's very comfortable over the hips, even though I cut 14 at the neck and just a smidge wider at the hips -- let's call it a size 15 ;) There are double pleats in front and one in back, and the sleeves are finished with an elastic casing. 

Front neckline with nearly invisible pleats

Back with single pleat

You can almost see my matching earrings in this back picture - they have the same shape and colour as the yellow motifs in the print - so weird to get such a random exact match!

The pattern calls for "sleeve stays" which confused me at first -- it only states this on the pattern pieces. After reading the pattern instructions through, I realized that it was essentially a self lined sleeve, and with my semi-sheer fabric I really didn't want that. Plus it just seemed like so much extra work for nothing. So I just cut and sewed a regular sleeve and turned under a hem casing for the elastic. It works great and was easy to sew.

Hazy days mean lots of squinting ;)

I really like the fit of this one. It has regular neck facings, and I considered switching them out for a bias strip neckline finish, but thought that with all the pleats there might be some shifting/bumpy issues with any topstitching. As it turns out, the regular interfaced facings have a lot of anchor points thanks to those very pleats, so they are stitched down in many locations. Meaning, no flip-outs and a smooth finish. This time it paid to follow the instructions!

This fabric was a dream to work with - I had none of the shifty, slippery issues I had feared when I began (except for during the cutting out part which was time consuming) and it pressed very well. I pinned a lot and sewed slowly, and fortunately had no troubles with puckered seams or suchlike. 

One very handy tip I picked up from a coworker who doesn't like to use too much anti-static chemical spray - when wearing polyester, place a tiny safety pin in the seam allowance around the hip area. Somehow it discharges a lot of the static that builds up... it really does work! 

You'll see I'm wearing this beautiful new top with my fave yellow tights and flats on a cool, cloudy day. Perfection. I love this one.