Details on the maxi dress

After reading the Sewaholic sewalong post about stay tape I decided to reinforce the sides. I've got the one that you can iron on the fabric, there's no need to stitch it:


Matching the pattern on a side seam:



Matching the stripes. The seam finishing is the same as on my ' Butterfly garden' dress:

On the side seams tried to match the horizontal blue lines. You can't match the pieces everywhere because of the different grainline (picture on the left) The front and back skirt seam is matched both horizontally as vertically (picture on the right)



Making the loops. I find it easier to press the seams before turning them right side out, that way the seams stay open on the inside:






I pinned the pockets to match the stripes:







I've finished the lower edge of the pockets with a bias band (this fabric is really a horror to work with!)

Cutting the pieces and matching, matching...

I've cut the pieces for the maxi-Lonsdale dress. It wasn't easy because of the gingham-like fabric.
First of all, I prewashed and ironed the fabric.
I cut the pieces on one layer. I like to do this anyway because it works better for me, it is more precise than cutting a folded fabric. For a gingham or a plaid first thing to do is to make the grainline clear visible on the pattern pieces. Usually there are short lines, I like to lenghten them from side to side and pin that line first on the fabric:

There are different ways to match the fabric. Since this fabric has small motifs the easiest way was to turn the cutted piece, match it and cut around it for the other half:

I've even matched the pocket pieces (on the side seam for the back)

I used a different, plain thin cotton fabric to cut the inner layer of the bodice back and the lower parts of the bodice front.

Lovely dress idea

Anthropology Ihrin Shirtdress

I've always wanted to have a shirtdress, I'm thinking of making something like this based on a pattern I've already got, Simplicity 2403 just with a different skirt, for example Burdastyle 06/2011 117.



I think you can be quite creative with a few basic patterns. If you know how to alter these there is no need for buying tons of patterns unless they are really special. For basic and advanced alterations the best source out there is Helen Joseph armstrong's book: Patternmaking for fashion design

Can I turn this fabric into a maxi-Lonsdale?

I've got about 5 yards of this fabric. I really liked it first, then I thought it looked like a gingham tablecloth... Still, the fabric has a great drape, the motifs are waved into not printed. After all, I think it would look great as a maxi sundress. This is going to be the fabric for my maxi-Lonsdale dress!
A little challenge will be matching the pattern and it would be too thick for a double layered bodice, but I've already got an idea how to fix that...


Starting tomorrow, check back soon!

'Butterfly garden' Lonsdale dress finished!

Looking at Sew Weekly all the dresses have names, so I decided to call this one the Butterfly garden dress!



There are some lovely details on this dress:

Making the Lonsdale dress

Started to make the dress.
I decided to finish the seams in a neat way. (By the way, the great thing about this dress is that it has a minimum of seam finishing!) The unfinished edges of the bodice are all on the inside. I don't have a serger. Learned to sew from my grandma and she used to do the edges with zigzag stitch. I wanted to try something that looks a bit better, a turned and stitched finishing (just pressed the raw edges under and stitched)



The seams of the bodice and skirt are covered with the inside waistband:






Since I wanted to use an invisible zipper I've left the inside bodice open at the edges. I've installed the zipper first and I can cover it with the inside bodice part. Read here how I did it!





My invisible zipper foot. I choose often for an invisible zipper because it looks neat and of course, it is invisible!





   

Lonsdale dress muslin part 2

Pattern adjustment, I took size 6 on the bottom of the front bodice and size 8 on the upper part. Did the same for the back.


Since my size 6 muslin was ready I just widened the upper part of the side seams (= the same adjustments I did on the pattern)


The fit is even better, it is wide enough in the bustline and fitted at the waist:






And this is my fabric, a simple lightweight cotton which I've already prewashed: