Black Coral Print Tunic

Pattern: Simplicity 2580 view B

Supplies: Black and White patterned ity knit (I think) from the red tag section at Joann Fabrics.  Black braid trim leftover from the guys doublets.

This was originally going to be a dress, so I added 8 or so inches when I cut it out.  However, I found the pattern a bit monotonous after it was all sewn together, so I chopped the 8 inches back off and hemmed it.

Last time I made this I also used a loud print and the same neckline.  That was a dress though and it was a bit tight.  I gave it away a year or so ago.  Anyway, this time I put braid trim on it and I am so happy with the way it turned out!  I hand stitched it on while watching my brother play minecraft.  Yes, I watch my brother play minecraft, no it isn't deathly boring. :-)

After a washing the neckline scrunched up.  I'm not sure if that is because the braid shrunk and the knit did not or my stitching did something weird...with a little pulling it lays fairly flat.

I haven't actually worn this with leggings yet because I just got my first pair of leggings (and then two long pairs right afterwards) recently.  I'm not sure how I feel about leggings.  Wow, I ramble a lot.  All this to say I made this in the middle of winter so I've only paired it with my black dress pants and a black skirt that makes it look like a pretty dress so far.   I'll have to post a picture of it sometime.

I put the leggings on today just to get pictures of the tunic to blog.  Pictures thanks to my little sister Emily. We're still working on it. :-)

Graduation Party Flowered Summer Dress

Patterns:  Butterick 6467 Bodice view B w/o sleeves size 10

Newlook 6589 Skirt size 10

Fabric: Vintage Green/yellow flowered bedsheet (goodwill)

Yellow table cloth (sharestuff)

White sheet for lining

I had an afternoon grad party with games and food and then we hired an English Country Line Dancing caller to come till sunset so we could dance.  My dress had to be cool because even though it was May 19th is was very warm.

I used the bodice from Butterick 6467 because I knew the fit was tried and true and I wanted to try a lace insert in the bodice.  As that was the case I did not raise the neckline any.  I didn't use the sleeves either.

 Also at my party I would be playing a good deal of volleyball and ultimate frisbee so I had to be able to run.  Que the Newlook 6589 skirt.  I know I can run in this because I've made it at least once.  Remember this green dress?

I remember falling in love with the lace on the bottom of that dress's lining, so I did in on this one as well.

Originally I was only planning to have lace at the neck, but I ended up having on the lining hem and as a sash as well. :-)  

While I was planning this I tried a bunch of different ways that I could sew the lace down while I had the right sides together but I found that it is humanly impossible.  Bummer.  So I just basted it and gingerly unpicked what I had to to insert the lace.  Then I topstitched around the neckline and armholes twice.

For absolute accuracy I hand-stitched the zipper in.

 The dress is fully lined, which means you don't have to wear anything under it and it is made of sheets so there is absolutely no chance of it shrinking.  :-)  The bummer with this is it is actually very heavy.

It's got to look just as neat on the inside as the outside. :-)

I usually wear it now with a cute belt at the empire waist or with a fun denim jacket. :-)  Gotta love it! 

Greens and Browns Paisley Print Summer Dress

This dress is SO comfortable!  I don't know exactly what the fabric is, but it was on sale at Joann Fabrics and is SO comfortable.  To start things off, I made the dress to big and too short.  Yup.  Lovely.  Oh well!  Like I said, it is super comfortable.  I wear it around the house mostly, and always with a belt to break up the pattern and add some waist definition.

McCalls 6027 view c without the jewel embellishments

The pattern was very straight-forward and would have taken probably around 2 1/2 hours, but I raised the neckline 5 whole inches so I had to change the tops of all the pieces.  That took a lot of time.  Once everything was cut out it went very quickly.

VERY full skirt (and I didn't even choose the version with gores)  and the side.

The back is pretty low.  I'm not sure what I think about that, but I couldn't fix it without a lot of hassle.  I have three cover-ups in that beige color, so there isn't much trouble there.

The day after I made it we went to a wedding, so I was able to wear it.  I also made Emily a skirt with a plain knit waistband.  I is definitely not my best work, but she says it is her favorite, so that is good. :-)

The Lime Summer Dress

It is finished!  I finished it a couple of weeks ago, just in time for Resurrection Sunday.  Hallelujah!  We serve a risen Savior!

The Front

Pattern: NewLOOK 6589? View A without belt.

Fabric:

Lime Organdy from Fabric.com at $1.95/yd

5mm silk from Dharma trading (not the best for this project)

An old zipper from our stash

Part of an white cotton sheet.

I love this dress!  If you read my earlier posts then you know that I was struggling with the sheerness of the organdy and the sheerness of the silk I had planned to line it in.  You could see through it.  Not good.  Well, I made the entire dress up and it was pitiful.  So, I took the dress apart.  Well, most of it.  I took the skirt off and dissected the bodice.  I added a layer of the cotton sheet to the bodice and made a separate cotton skirt to line the real skirt.  I took a coupled hours, but boy, was it worth it!  To the hem of the skirt lining I sewed a little lace, so it peaks out ever-so-gracefully. :-)

 What I love: The full skirt!  Look at those twirls!  I have full range of movement and can run and play ultimate frisbee in this dress.  Big Plus. :-)

What I want to change: The height of the neckline and the straps.  I place the straps by myself, so they are to far out and want to fall off my shoulders.  They are also to big, which doesn't help the next thing…The neckline is a little low.  The bodice fits perfectly, but I feel that is is a little low to wear by itself.  The back is pretty low too.  I added and inch to the pattern, anticipating this difficulty, but It still needs more.

I think I will put a tuck in the straps so they 1) stay on my shoulders and 2) keep the bodice as high as it can be.

Ok, last I checked, I had strawberry blond hair.  Why does it look so red here? 

The Back

I am SO glad I took the time to take this dress apart and restitch it the right way.  The inside is professional looking and feeling.  The one raw edge is serged and you can't tell it is there.

P.S. Nathanael and I getting better at taking pictures of me. ;-)