Her Name was Lola

After seeing Lori's version of the Lola dress I had to have one!  Her's is spectacular - go check out the link if you haven't seen it already. 

I ordered the Lola pattern from Victory Patterns and then downloaded it.  One of my new work friends helped me print it out.  he's really nice that way.

The fabric is from Girl Charlee - which I really like, but sometimes doesn't last very long.  However, this print was so pretty - that when I saw it online I needed it.  I bought 5 other pieces at the same time - this is the first one to be sewn up.  I bought 2 yards and I will say - fitting this dress into the fabric was a bit challenging.


I left off the neck and hem bands and added 6" to the skirt pieces. Then I gave it a 1 3/4" hem.  Which looking at these photos might have been a bit too much. 


I recently bought these little black ankle boots at Forever 21 and I've never been really sure how to wear them.  Normally I would wear knee high boots or heel.  These little boots are cute and comfy. 

Changes to the pattern:

I took 1" off the center back panel for a sway back adjustment.  I follow the alternation in Nancy Zieman's Fitting Finesse, where basically you lower the back neckline as much as you need and then pivot and redraw the shoulder seam to match the new mark.  Sometimes I need to take another wedge out of the back - but this worked enough.  (the link it to Fitting with Confidence, but it's basically the same book - I asked Nancy at Expo a few years ago.)


I also lengthened the skirt by 6".  As much as like the idea of an easy sweatshirt dress, I still needed something that would be appropriate to wear to my conservative office.  I thought the hem band might make it just a bit too casual.

This dress feels a bit too big - but I think it's fine.  I wore it with a blue cardigan and blue jewelry all day. 

As long as we're here, my goals for 2014 are:

1.  just keep sewing, make things that I'll wear and continue to work on fit.

2.  use more fabric than I buy.  I know many people are inspired by their stash - I tend to be stifled by mine.  It just feels like too much.  However, I often buy fabric when I'm not sewing - but most of that is from JoAnns and it's not the best quality around.

3.  I'd like to make a coat.  I'd like to sew up some of the new patterns I've bought.

4.  In Knitting News - I have a bunch of shawls to knit this year for The Princess' wedding.  3 of them I'm designing.  There is a new baby coming so a momma shawl is needed.  I'd like to enter something in the fair again. 

5.  Be more social with my crafting.  Attend more ASG meetings, the sewing meet-up, and attend retreats when I can. 

I think that's good.  Happy New Year everyone!  Maybe the crafting be good.