A Garment A Week – Week 17 – 29/04/16

Busy week!  The kids are on school holidays, I’m looking forward to the school term starting again lol
I saw a dress similar to this one online a few weeks back, couldn’t find it anywhere when I went searching for the pic! So this version is part memory, part my design.
It’s pretty much a loose fitting A line dress with short sleeves.
It’s made from a light poly that has a woven pattern of rectangles.

No zip but a bound neckline and split at the back neck secured with buttons. I didn’t quite get the binding on the split quite right at the bottom join. It kinda pulls the fabric a little even after a good press, I should probably re-do it.
The dress I remembered had ruffle layers around the bottom and possibly more than the two I added.
My layers aren’t ruffled as I didn’t want them to stick out too much, I didn’t want to make the style look too junior.
The layers are also cut on the bias just to put the print on a different angle and because I didn’t double check I had enough fabric before I started cutting! Lesson learnt. I was only a little bit short but to get the pieces at least long enough to go across the front or back, I had to cut on the angle. I also needed to cut the binding on the bias.  I also free hand stitched them on so they aren’t exactly on straight, but it only matters if you look closely.

All the seams except the one joining the sleeve to the body are french seams and the hems are just small rolled hems.
I do think I need to adjust the bust dart position on my bodice block pattern, they seem to sit a little high.
This will be easier to check with my new mannequin! (so excited)

The dress also seemed to call for a break in the colour and it needed cinching in a bit around the waist. So I made a belt 🙂  It’s cut from faux leather in a wrap around style. I believe the style is called a Obi belt? (I may be wrong). The long end pokes through a hole in the other side and wraps around to tie in the front. The hole was also where I turned it in the right way. I’m grateful that I have a teflon coated machine foot for sewing the faux leather, it definitely makes it a lot easier and the stitching looks a lot tidier. I may need to investigate ways of holding it in a knot as it slips a little.

A cute easy wear dress that looks good with tights and merino thermals underneath or without 🙂

Boots from Amazon – G by Guess Gazila – Black or Pewter

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