Perfect – as in the perfect design. Not that my dress is perfect… not yet anyways.
Recently, I bought Hollywood Pattern 1103.
It’s everything I want in an easy, breasy summer dress: cut on sleeves, tie waist, swingy skirt, shoulder gathers (no darts) & a matching bolero to boot! What’s not to love?!
I just happened to be at the fabric store one day when I found a silk crepe I’d had my eye on for over a year that was marked down. You bet I snagged that puppy up. I bought a whopping 4 yards since at the time I wasn’t sure what I’d make with it. Then I bought Hollywood 1103 and it was a match made in heaven.
But… that fabric is for the next post. Not wanting to use my lovely silk for a first-time dress, I went and made it up with another lovely fabric, a pinky red linen-rayon blend.
These pictures turned out really bright. The fabric is indeed bright, but not quite neon & glowing like it appears.
Linen-rayon blends are now in my top 5 favorite fabrics of all time. The rayon content helps the linen stay a bit wrinkle free & gives such lovely drape & movement to any garment. (If you’re in Chicago, you can find this red at Vogue on Roosevelt Rd. in the Summer Specials section.) I should know… I made a skirt with it first. Then went back for more of it for this dress. (I may even still have a bit more in my stash… it’s that good! How I wish they had more colors.)
While I like this dress, it’s not 100% perfect yet. There is much to much ease in the bodice at the waist. I thought the belt (or tie belt) would be sufficient but it borderlines on the frumpy to me.
I think this design/and my narrow shoulders would be much benefited by some small shoulder pads also. I really don’t care for shoulder pads, but with the cut on sleeves – I feel like my shoulders look really rounded. (Either that or I shorten up the sleeves a bit more.)
All this doesn’t stop me from wearing this dress, as I’ve worn it 3 times in the last 2 weeks.
I just feels so lovely on. Unfortunately, its now in the hamper and I can’t wear it till it’s clean again.
After much consideration, after I wash it up (pending shrinkage), I think I’m going to take it in at the side seams. The top is a bit too billowy and I’ve been adjusting my belt like crazy every time I wear this.
I paired my dress with my new bunny belt and my flea-market necklace find. It was only $1 – doesn’t get better than that for a vintage glass beaded necklaces.
Normally I’d be pairing this dress with white instead of black accessories – but it’s what I had on hand. My wardrobe & accessories are quite limited at the moment since most of my items are still packed up in boxes. It’s a good exercise in making do. :D
Guess what? I think this may be the first sewing project I’ve posted all year! Can you believe it?! While this isn’t the first sewing project I’ve completed this year – it’s just the first one I managed to get photographed.
I’ve been doing a ton of knitting since it’s much easier (and less dusty) than me working in my sewing room. But I’ve been sewing much more lately and have even written up myself a fall/late summer sewing plan. I’m stoked to get started on it.
Stay tuned for the wonderfulness that will be version #2 in silk crepe. (It just needs it hem and photographs now.) Woot!
Who else has worked with linen-rayon blends? Love them too, yes??? :D
In: Sewing
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