A special "Everyday" dress

5/29/2017

It seems most of the time people sew clothes for special occasions ... and then these special garments get worn once or twice. But what about comfortable clothes that we wear everyday? Why not sew something special in that category?

It gets really hot and super humid here in the Washington DC area in the summer and I live in loose cotton dresses all summer.

Diving into my stash I found this nice cotton, a block print from India that I bought in Singapore during the trip my husband and I made to South East Asia a few years back. I love it a lot and been saving it for something I would wear often.

Read my blog about shopping in Singapore in 2013.

In my pattern drawer is this old, probably out of style, pattern I have at home and is exactly the kind of dress I want.

Even with a loose fitting garment like this, it will save a lot of time to make a muslin of, at least, the bodice for fit. And I did have to take it in a bit and change the shape of the armhole so it wouldn't gap so much.

One of the reasons I like this fabric so much, is because it is a border print. I have 2 meters which is a little longer than 2 yards. The skirt will be 2 yards with the border along the hem. That leaves just enough border for some along the top of the two pockets ... BUT!!! this fabric is only 44" wide. If I cut the skirt as long as I want it, there is not enough length for the bodice. I am going to have to do something tricky and put a seam across the middle of the bodice.

Time for a little planning on the back of an envelope. So, I figure if I make part of the bodice on the bias, the seam will look like a design feature instead of a mistake. Which it is now.

To make the borders show as much as possible, I will hem the pockets and skirt with strips of fabric and just use a 1/4" seam when sewing it on.

Here is the front side and back side of the pockets. See how I ran a gathering stitch at the corners to help evenly ease the curve.

I will need LOTS of bias to finish the neck and armholes and hem the skirt ... EEK! I am running out of fabric.

I'm liking it so far.

Pressing the bias hem facing up and ...

Top stitching with grey thread on a grey stripe.

Barely noticeable.

And what you see in the palm of my hand is all I have left ... PHEW!

Now for buttons. I don't want to go out shopping. This is supposed to be totally out of my stash. But, I don't like the grey buttons, or the purple, buttons or the triangular mother of pearl buttons ....

But WAIT! I totally forgot about these buttons I bought when I was working on some Steampunk style costumes. They are perfect with the spirals just like the fabric.

Dress done and back to the garden ... a never ending job.

6 Comments

meescha dare

5/31/2017 08:38:47 am

This dress is so cute!!

Morgana

5/31/2017 12:53:52 pm

Love this, and love the idea of making really nice garments for everyday wear.

To me, this doesn't mean they are made from expensive, designer fabrics, only that the fabric be of high enough quality to survive the many washings that frequent wear will necessitate.

It also doesn't mean intricate details, or high-fashion finishes, but I believe there is an element of good finishing - serged seam allowances, bias-bound edges, and double stitching - that lends any garment a high-quality, durable feel.

Bravo to you for thinking in this way. In years past, garments were sewn, knitted, crocheted, woven, and felted with a thought to durability and strength because we all owned few garments and things just had to last. Today, clothing is so cheap and disposable, and few garments are made with quality touches. To me, this is part of the desirability of a home-sewn garment. We can add these quality touches and walk away with an heirloom-quality garment that is made exactly how we like it and fit for years of wear.

JustGail link

6/1/2017 04:52:28 am

Your dress looks like just the thing for summer! Lovely fabric, no tight bindy bits, and great pockets, I can see it being a favorite for a good long time. And you couldn't have found better buttons if you made a special button-buying trip to the store.

Kara link

6/2/2017 05:21:25 am

Such a beautiful, and very comfertable-looking dress. I loved reading about the process behind it.

Theresa in Tucson

6/6/2017 05:09:03 am

I like your take on this pattern. I had made it years ago and wish I had made a muslin of the bodice like you did. Good tip. My bodice was too wide and was only wearably modest with a blouse. I ended up dismantling the dress and reusing the fabric in a shirt.

Ann

7/15/2017 05:45:21 am

I'm jealous! Of the cute dress and mostly of the fact that you can wear it. These days the mosquitoes are so bad that to work in the garden I'm wearing long pants, a long sleeved shirt, and sometimes even a net over my face--and the temps are close to 100. I just don't look as fresh as you do . . . .

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A special "Everyday" dress

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