Party Dress!

I can't really decide if it says little girl party dress or "some past decade" print.   Any thoughts?

So, I know everyone has made this dress, but now I know why.  It's a dream to sew up.  This time, because the fabric was so sheer, I made a whole separate dress as a slip.  (I'm reforming my easy corner cutting ways.  Or just taking a break...)  I should note that what looks good at 10pm in the basement under one lonely light, does not look good in natural light during the day.  It looks grey.  Dirty grey. Blech.

So, I'm wearing it sheer with a half slip and it works!!!  Woo-hoo!  It just became my hot summer sun go-to dress.

Simplicity 2630
[After this picture I went and checked the hem--it's straight.  Apparently the problem is with my body/posture/leg placement.  Nothing new:)]

Here's the breakdown:

Fabric:  from stash longer than 5 years ago, I'll guess I spent $7.50

Thread:  stash

Pattern: $0.99

Total:  $8.50

Time spent (discounting the entire under-dress): 

2 hours, from cut out to wearing, including sewing and serging all seams.

Items to note:

I performed a rolled hem with my serger on the hem, sleeves, and flounces.  

I cut the front and back flounce out as one, which worked well.

I added 1.5 inches to the hemline.

I did not include any facings.  I serged the neckline and turned to stitch.  

I cut out size 12.

I bet you are wondering what this is...

It's my new swimsuit!!!  I still haven't settled on a pattern, but Hancock Fabric put their swimwear fabric on sale for 50% off today, and I've been eyeing this fabric for weeks!!!  So I ran down and bought some!  (Enough exclamations?  Okay.  I understand.)

It's next to the beautiful flowers my husband brought me this week.  Aww.  

New Look 6013 Lady in Red Dress

The weather was calm 15 seconds before I took this picture Sunday morning.  It has not stopped drizzling since.  Of course:)

This is some of the stash I got at Hancock Fabric for $1/yard.  It is a sheer red lace-esque material (I'm sure there is a name for it) underlined with a red crepe.

I'm sure that I could have figured out how to use the underlining to finish/face all the edges (sleeves, hem and neckline).  Sometimes, after wrestling kids all day, it just takes a little too much brain power.  So I didn't.

The dress calls for a slit in the back which I didn't include due to modesty issues.  I cut out the pattern as shown and sewed it together.  If I hadn't had a double thickness the crease would have held better.

 There was a little gapping at the back neck, if you can tell from this picture, which will be remedied when I make this again.  

I wore this to church on Sunday, but felt a little inconspicious.  The shine is just a bit too much for everyday (or even every Sunday) wear.

Notes about the pattern:

• lengthened by 2 inches and could barely do a teeny hem to make it to my knees
• the raglan sleeves are 2 pieces and I took about an inch out of the top hem
• I had to take in the bust tapering up to an inch just above the bustline
• a little gappy at the back neck?  Not sure why
• I topstitched the bust dart down, thank you all for your help.  

Notes on fit:  I cut a straight 12 (and still made the above alterations) even though my measurements call for 14 bust, 16 waist, 12 hips.  Just so you know.

I love, love the raglan sleeves on this dress.  I have been looking for a simple, easy dress with cap sleeves and this one is perfect.  I see all kinds of alterations in the future.

Cost Analysis:

pattern:  $4

lace overlay:  $3

Red underlining:  $1.50

zipper:  $1.50

thread and interfacing:  stash

Total:  $10

If you want a simple dress that will go together quickly, I recommend this one.  There are 6 pattern pieces (front, back, sleeve front, sleeve back, and neck facing). 

I hope you are all having a better May than we are.  We've had one nice spring day so far.  One.  Come on.  I have 3 boys that desperately need to go outside.  But my husband planted the garden on Saturday--Yea!  (I have been banned since I decided that tomatoes were more important than grass)

In other news, my mom is almost home from her LDS Humanitarian mission aboard the USNS Comfort!

  

We're so proud of you Mom.  Love you, and Happy Mother's Day!

MMM updates

I'm still kind of reeling from the spur-of-the-moment vacation, so it's nice to be able to update the blog with some photos.  And, some of my stuff you haven't seen before!

Day 4 
Day of loud, loud dress and awesome leopard obi belt

Simplicity 3835 dress.  (Note:  does not have enough wearing ease to get in and out of husband's truck, as evidenced by large hole in back seam discovered at grocery store)


Obi belt.  I wear this with everything; I really need to make another.

Jeans I altered to be skinny jeans.  I bought some skinny jeans that weren't skinny enough to fit under my boots and had to take them in the entire inseam.




I may see if I can turn this top into a tunic, but if not I'll use it for pieces. (lining, scraps, etc.)






















Day 5
Grey Maggy and Anthro knockoff

aforementioned truck

Grey Maggy blogged here

Anthropologie inspired necklace --tutorial from Flamingo Toes

Happy Weekend!

Tracy Reese--Vogue 1224

I don't know if I am just slow to catch on or what, but jersey knit dresses are the way to go!  So comfy, so easy to wear--I'm in love with this Tracy Reese design for Vogue.

This one is not quite as cost effective as my Maggy London, but it's not bad at all.  Here we go:

Vogue pattern 1224:  $3.99 (on sale at Joanns)

Fabric :  $11.94

Elastic:  $1.25

Grand Total:  $17.18

I bought much more elastic than needed, and more fabric than needed, but used interfacing and thread that I had on hand.  Which means I can make a shirt for summer out of this fabric for free!

This dress was also super fast to put together.

Cutting fabric:  .5

Assembling: 1.5

Adding extra fabric which I then had to take off the bottom:  .5

Finishing:  .5 (including deciding on the shoes.  I really think I need some awesome wedge sandals to carry these colors through the summer)

Total:  3 hours--while watching The Social Network, which I don't really recommend.  But, like facebook, it's addicting.

Anyway, notes on this pattern:

• Very wide neckline--next time I may bring it up in front a bit--in juggling kids and whatnot the neckline was all over the place and exposing.
• I topstitched under the arm double the length marked on the pattern.  This didn't restrict movement or the sleeve shape at all--just made the armhole a bit more modest--like 2 inches more modest.

Sorry for the weird picture--I had to manipulate it so you could see.  The stitched line up the middle should have ended where the bulge on the black is--instead I extended it up further.  The stitching on the right is for the armhole.

• I love love love the sleeves and double topstitched hem which I did right at the edge!
• I lengthened the skirt by 5 inches, made the top, still thought it would be too short so cut double the casings (instead of just one for inside, one for outside too)  added the casings as a band and had to cut off 2 1/2 inches.  Awesome.  Anyway--this made it knee length on me.
• I omitted the lining of the skirt and the toggles.
• Even with the added casing, the waistline was too high.
• My size is technically 12 with vogue (14 at waist)  I cut an 8 (12 at waist)
• Next time:  Add 2 inches to top, 2 inches to bottom.  Raise neckline just a little.  

The back on my dress seems to be a little deeper than the pattern picture shows--but look how pretty the sleeves are!!

A couple more pictures:

Same topstitching extension and sleeve hem.  And random unattached thumb.

This shows the lower neckline better than the first picture--one wrong grab by my sons and it's a minor wardrobe malfunction!


Amber

Butterick 5559-Maggy London

So, best dress ever!  Well, maybe not quite, but it is fantastic-and super comfy to wear.  Without further ado:

I know, I actually look like I have curves instead of being the rectangle we all know I am.  I added about 1.5 inches to the hem when I cut it out, but still had to add a 1 inch band at the bottom to make it a length I like.

I have decided to detail the money and hours spent on my sewing addiction so we all know how worthwhile and beneficial my choice of hobbies is.

Butterick 5559 pattern:                                   $1.99

1.5 yards unknown fiber content @ 2/yd       $3.00

gray interfacing                                              $1.00*

Grand Total for Maggy London Dress selling this year at Nordstrom for $94........

$5.99

(*Note to self--first project will absorb price of pattern-any subsequent projects from same pattern are free, also interfacing, thread, etc. will be absorbed into first project if bought specifically for it)

Not bad, I know.  Now, on to the hours spent (keeping in mind I have 3 small children who love to keep me busy and "help")

Cutting                     1

Basting (darts and tucks)   1

Darts                        1

Tucks                       1.5

Construction              .5

Admiring                  1

(yes, at my house this is a real step, I wear it around, look in all the mirrors from every angle with a critical eye, decide if it needs tweaking and which shoes look the best--don't you?)

Fitting, facing, hemming, adding lenth, reinforcement stitching  2 hours

Total time spent --8 hours

The basting-not very pretty, but very necessary as the tucks are curved!

Some detail shots.  I know that the tucks are supposed to line up exactly and I have all lined up on the outside, and I'm close on the inside.  Be exact when you baste!  It's still wearable at my house.:)

I hope you can see some details.  Apparently I did my best kickboxing arms...

That's not saying much--is it?

I am making this dress again.  Eventually.  Maybe next fall.  Maybe in red?

Amber