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Another Day, Another Dress

Another ESP Dress That Is

I have been making the Decades of Style ESP Dress for the past 4 years.  I have 5 versions currently in my closet and one when to the goodwill.  

I have altered the pattern to have a lower neck thanks to instructions from the lovely people at Decades of Style.  Here's the instructions, if you want to do the same. 

This summer - I decided at the very last minute to play along with the Sewcialists mini challenge.  The summer challenge was to work from the colors in the Sewcialists logo based on a spin telling you which color to use.  I spun coral - but honestly, my dress has most of the logo colors in it.  I cut and sewed the dress up in about 9 hours.  


 Almost all of my recent blog pictures have been taken by Carolyn and this dress is no exception.  She decided to come to Carriage Corner for a weekend at the end of August.  We took a trip to Winterthur to see the Costuming the Crown exhibit and she photographed several finished garments for me.


One of my biggest complaints about this dress is that the neckline is just too wide.  It literally falls off my shoulders, bra straps showing, the works - but they are comfortable and I love wearing them.  Well, while Carolyn was taking photographs she pointed out that both the bodice back & front were gaping a little bit and that I should alter my pattern to take 1/4" out of the center front at the very top.  Hmmm, interesting - that would also solve my wide neckline problem because it would bring the shoulders in.  Live and learn, girls, live and learn.

My to-sew list is feeling a bit out of control, but getting added to is really soon is another ESP dress with the center fronts altered.  I'm pretty sure I'll have to add the zipper back into the pattern, but that's easy.  I also feel like the bodice {now that I've taken it in just a smidge} is a bit too long, so that's another adjustment to make.


But the back waist seems to be just fine - probably because I've perfected my sway/short back adjustments for this pattern.  

One other trick that I really like to do on dresses with pockets?  Or anything with pockets for that matter - is to stitch the pockets in place on the front of the garment.  


So - look for another ESP dress soon-ish.  Which in my current world means within the year :D

Also, can I just say that I'm so happy I finally got my hair cut from the length in these pictures and got new glasses!  


13 comments :

  1. Okay I like your long hair! And I hope you're sewing cause I will be back early November to take more pictures!

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    1. I know you do - but the fact that it wasn't straight across the back (when it was meant to be) was driving me insane. And when my hair gets really long it gets stringy because it's so fine! I'm not sewing, but I'll see what I can do :D g

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  2. I love that dress, and that fabric. Carolyn is great at diagnosing and fixing minor problems! I hope you're getting more dresses done this week.

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    1. It's a sweet one! and so glad to finally use the fabric for what I bought it for. Although I still have more for thread catcher bags ;)

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  3. OMG you have perfected the fit of this dress and you have the best novelty fabrics!

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    1. I love making clothes from novelty fabric! You have a thread catcher from this fabric ;) g

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  4. I've had the same problem with the shoulders of the ESP dress. Great fabric!

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    1. Well - when I lowered the neckline, they became just a bit too wide. If I take just a smidge out of the center front and back - that will help. g

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