Light Polka Dot Coverup

Because of the open back and shoulders of the Lime Summer Dress, I found it necessary to make a summer coverup that I could wear this dress to church with.

Ever since I got Simplicity 2560 I have liked view E.  So I used it for this bolero. 

Fabric:

Red Tag tricot from Joann's

 After I made it I found that if was too short, so I had to add a band around the bottom to make it work.

 The Back...

 The sides...

And my brother, who helped me with the pictures.  Thanks Than!

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. ;-)

Masquade Gown Part 2

Progress on the bodice!  More to come...

Masquade Gown Part 1

Our Spring Banquet at Hallstrom this year has a masquerade theme!  I was so excited when that theme won.  How often do you get to go to a masquerade ball?  I mean really!  So of course I'm making my gown.  I didn't want to go in a formal and just wear a mask.  That doesn't fill the masquerade bill for me. It you are wearing a modern dress it has to be couture quality. :-)  Lots of folds and feathers.  Otherwise, you need to wear something historical, like a Marie Antoinette gown. :-)

I was inspired by Celine's Maire dress.

I am using Simplicity 4092

 Fabric:

from fabric.com- Eggplant taffeta, fuchsia taffeta, and lace (I can't remember what it is called).

Lined and underlined with a sturdy pink tablecloth I got second hand for $5

I am overlaying the bodice with lace and beading it randomly with purple shell rocks, white freshwater pearls, and purple glass beads.

Stay tuned for further progress!

I'm currently having a lot of trouble with the sleeves... :-(