The ‘I miss summer’ shift dress (1ppw week 3)

Note: Sorry about the state of my hair. I think I want to grow it out into a short bob again heh Anyway…

Here’s this weeks ‘1 project per week’ project. I got hit with a pretty horrendous cold/flu thing, but I still wanted to keep my ‘1ppw’ promise! Today I felt a bit better but now I feel lousy again…it couldn’t have anything to do with taking photos of myself in a summer shift dress could it? I am such a nut job sometimes! OK most of the time, really….

Why do I sew summer dresses in winter? why do I only sew summer things? I never want to make winter clothing. I should up my game and make a coat! But I am a dreamer…summer dresses are what happiness is made of to me! The truth is I have more than enough things in my closet, so my sewing does not really have so much to do with being practical.

I was lucky enough to miss a big bit of winter this year when my boyfriend and I went to Malaysia on holidays. Sometimes I can’t believe the degree to which I complain about things or get down when the weather is cold. Winter sort of brings out my depressed alter ego or something. I need to work on changing my attitude to this season!

So what do I (actually)like about winter? You don’t get too hot when you are sewing, no mosquitoes, less sunburn, kiwi fruits are in season, coffee is even better on a cold day, more excuses to hug the people I love (who are always much warmer than I am) and of course coats kind of fun to wear! ummm that’s all I can think of! What do you like about winter?

 

Sewing nitty gritty:

I used some of the material I bought in Malaysia (I wanted to use some of this fabric- also why this is a summer project)! The pattern is Burda 7056 I have used this pattern before on this dress. The only change I made to this pattern was lowering the neckline.

I just love the simplicity of this design. It’s slightly a-line, but only slightly! It’s also loose like a shift should be, but it’s not at all baggy.

I really like how the cut of the neckline shows off the shoulders BUT the draw back is the dress is not bra-friendly, as in- your bra straps WILL show. and that’s no fun! ( I can’t go strapless or without one- I’m sorry too much information, I know!)

Materials and techniques (all the usual suspects). Blind machine hem (I machine hemmed the bottom of all the pieces BEFORE I sewed the side seams together). Center back invisible zipper. Used gutermann thread….

I actually enjoyed the facings. These ones stay down really well! I used quite a lightweight iron on interfacing for the facings. I’m so glad I bought a massive stock pile of this stuff (way back), because 1. it’s hard to get in the weight that I like especially now that I live in the city and 2. I do not want to stop my sewing project for something as boring buying interfacing!

For the all-in one facings on the dress I used the same technique I use when I line a sleeveless dress by machine. It’s pretty hard to explain so I’ll just show you some work in progress pictures….

Above: Note this was BEFORE I graded and clipped the seams which is an absolute MUST!!!

Above: Why hello my pretty clean-finished neckline and armholes 🙂 Now I just had to press it like mad and sew the side seams.

Above: with one of the side seams done!

My one regret with this dress is the back is slightly funky, which could have been avoided if inserted the center back zipper BEFORE sewing the shoulder seams and BEFORE sewing the side seams. That’s what I plan to do next time.

 

So that was it! Now to fill my hotwater bottle and watch a swedish crime drama with the boyfriend. Yay!

x Kath

Magnified Dot Shift Dress

In the spirit of my obsession with 60s shift dresses I finished another one during the weekend.

Would you believe that it’s so hot where I live that this 60s mini dress is too hot to wear today?

I’ll have to wait till it cools down. Sydney weather in a small apartment means I can only wear singlets and shorts.

Fabric and pattern: I was doing some sewing with my niece some weeks ago and we were using Burda 7056 to make a shift dress, it was turning out so cute, I had to make one for myself. I cut a size 8.

This pattern has much looser relaxed fit than the previous shift I made.

The fabric used is one I was not too precious about because when I’m sewing a pattern I haven’t tried before I tend use the fabric that I’m not madly in love with.

I must have bought this fabric a couple of years ago from the clearance table when I worked at a fabric shop. I think its a stretch sateen, it has a nice weight to it. Looks like it could have been used for cushions or home decor, but I think its dress/fashion fabric because it has a light sheen too it and a little bit of stretch.

When I worked at the fabric shop I just bought meters and meters of a fabric if it was cute and very cheap ($5 or under). I am so glad I did because don’t think you can get much at that price anymore.

I get all my zippers from the remnant warehouse because you pay $1 per zip, rather than the $4-5 they usually cost. Isant that mad? longer zips (over 45cms)  in Australia are usually $5 each or more!

Changes made: Initially I changed the armholes (on the pattern and fabric, extending them) in order to make the dress bra-friendly, but it ruined the whole look, so I ended up cutting out the armholes the way they were intended to be.

I ended up shortening the hem considerably. With such a loose fit, I feel like it works better to make it shorter, but I shortened it so many times that I lost count of home much I shortened it by (I hemmed it twice which was rather annoying).

I also changed the neckline, I lowered it considerably because It was one of those necklines that was so high that the original cut was quite uncomfortable (which meant I also had to redraft the front facing BORING but essential).

While we are on the subject of facings: These facings are tedious! I almost think that its probably quicker to sew an entire lining than getting these facings to behave, but I guess I am getting better at them, good practice I suppose!

Thoughts on the project good/bad:

When I tried the completed project on for the first time I felt like it needed something, but now I think the opposite, best to keep everything (except makeup) minimal when wearing this dress. I like how streamlined it is!

My one issue is that the darts are a touch high on me, also whilst the back does not pucker at all, I wish I took some time to select how the print/dots would fall on the back

I was worried that the massive dots would look too clown-like, and perhaps they do look a bit clown-like, but I think its kind of cool. I do really love the mod look so I guess this fits the bill.

My hair is pinned back and I think that it suits the dress more. I have had a fringe/bangs for over 7 years but I am growing my fringe out, because I want to get a twiggy-esque haircut where the hair is longer at the front a super short at the back.

A hairdresser once told be that I would not be able to pull off very short hair, but I feel as if I should forget what he said and give it a try. What do you think?

I have been on such a sewing kick lately. Much more to come!