As Spring slowly comes to Chicago, I’ve found that it’s really the perfect time for some Sewing-Spring-Cleaning.
I purchased this adorable bicycle print fabric last April (2016) from Blackbird fabrics. No longer available with blackbird, but I happened to spot it here for sale and also just spotted it here also.
The fabric is an opaque, crisp cotton shirting with a hint of elastic for comfort. The fabric feels great to wear – it has that crisp percale movement and like I said, with the added lycra/elastic it makes for ease of movement.
After getting the fabric in the mail I promptly turned it into the Simplicity 8014 shirt-dress you see today. I cut for view B, but added on the collar and shortened the sleeves. I made this dress for easy wearing – hence the positive, blousey ease. If it’s one thing I hate it’s wearing a summer dress that is so tight that it sticks to you with perspiration… Ick.
I hung the dress on my garment rack for the hem to hang and moved on to other sewing projects, and I never circled back to this in 2016 like I ought to have.
Somehow or other, I just didn’t finish it last year.
While I love sewing up new patterns & using new fabrics, it was time to revisit some dresses that were *silently – or loudly!!! taunting me* from my garment rack, unfinished.
So far I’ve tackled three of them – this one being the first. *yay*
Silly me though – I could have worn this dress all last year had I only: stitched on the buttons, created buttonholes, and finished the hem.
Since I started this project a year ago, I really can’t attest to any changes that I made for fit. sorry. :|
But you may have noticed… I have new glasses and I’m standing in front of my newly stained fence. :D Woot woot!
Staining this fence was an undertaking, but it went all the faster with a paint-sprayer – which I am now the proud new owner of. I keep seeing things around my house thinking *I should spray that*. lol
But back to my dress…
I remember belaboring over what color top-stitching thread to use on this dress… And when I picked this up again April 2017, I regretted using the white thread. It’s okay I guess…
I get why I used the white thread – I think the bicycle print needed to be broken up a bit more since it’s a busy, little print.
Upon reflection, I think this may have been the first time I had to set in a proper collar stand. I’ve been avoiding them for some reason or another. I remember it was a bit fiddly, but not overly challenging. So glad to have one additional sewing scaredy-cat item crossed off my list.
Wish I had more concrete thoughts to share with you on my dress – but really this post is about the joys of finishing up those old languishing items in your closet and turning them into new, wearables. :D
Do you guys have projects taunting you from piles or garment racks also?
In: Sewing
I love the print! It’s like, stealthily cute. Similar to the bunny print dress–from far away it looks like a regular nice cotton print, but get a little closer and BAM! It’s charming.
heh Thanks! I can’t take credit for the cute print – but I was very happy to have purchased it. :D
I’ve been on the lookout for a bicycle print – this one is super cute!
Your hair color looks absolutely stunning in this light! When my formerly aqua, blue, and purple parts (which are now dyed my natural dark brown) grow out, I’m going to do a red color. I just don’t want to bleach those parts a third time, so I’ve got some waiting to do.