Birthday Dress - 2022 Edition

 For years, I have made myself a birthday dress. Sometimes we go away, sometimes we go out to dinner, but mostly these days I have to work.  

Anyway, last year I made Style Arc Naomi and it was a bust. There are no photos, it just wasn't a good style for me. BUT the sleeves are amazing!  So - I laid the True Bias Southport bodice over the Naomi and traced naomi's armscye, front and back. I also raised the front neckline on Southport a little bit.  

The skirt is folded over the hanger bar inside the bodice in this picture, but can you see the potential? This was going to be soo good!

Other than adjusting the armscye, I made a small swayback adjustment.  I use Nancy Zeiman's method from Fitting Finesse. It looks like this book is no longer available, however after talking to Nancy at Sewing Expo many, many years ago, she indicated that Pattern Fitting with Confidence was basically the same and that you didn't need both.   

Honestly, the dress is growing on me. I think it just needs the right styling.  The fabric is a beautiful sunflower challis bought at FabricMart sometime in the summer of 2021

I could really see this dress shinning with dark tights and brown boots and a scarf. I will always wear it with a belt as shown. Which reminds me of the last change I made: this dress has elastic in the waist rather than the drawstring that southport has.

And since that's all there is to say about this True Bias Southport/Style Arc Naomi Mashup/Hack I'll leave you with some more photos.

This is the last dress that Carolyn took pics of when she came to visit in May! I will do my best to take my own (however dorky) photos and keep the blog alive. Thanks for sticking with me through the quiet years.

Saved By A Friend

 Actually, this entire dress is thanks to a friend.  

I had a very pretty piece of green linen in my fabric closet.  I didn't remember where it came from when I originally pulled it.  Because, honestly, for years I was *afraid* of linen.  

I love my first linen hope so much, that I decided to make another.  I asked Carolyn which piece of fabric I should use and she suggested one that I wasn't quite ready to sew up.  So, I pulled this beautiful piece from the shelve.

But here's where everything went sideways.  I have this really bad habit of cutting out just the bodice and then setting it aside.  Then when I'm ready to start, I'll construct the bodice and figure out how long the skirt can be when I get there.

Well, once I got started on it, there wasn't enough fabric for a skirt of any length at all!  OH No! At this point, I sent some photos to Carolyn (which is a pretty regular part of any garment I'm making) and she commented, 'You're using my fabric!' Well, that answered the where the fabric came from.  Carolyn most likely gifted it to me to convince me to use linen.

I asked if she had more, and she did.  It was a piece where she had to purchase lots and had given away 3 yard pieces.  Way back in December, I took a day when I wasn't busy and I drove out to visit with her.  The visit was the reason for the day trip to New Jersey and the rest of the fabric was a bonus!

There are really no changes to this dress.  I had previously lowered the neckline and for this version I added inch wide elastic in the sleeve hems.

And that's about all there is to say about this Style Arc Hope Woven Dress.  The pattern is a gem.  If you haven't made it, you really should consider it!

The Dress that Wasn't

 Okay - seriously, how do y'all come up with titles for your blog posts?  I'm so boring!  

Anyway, Way back during 2020 if my memory serves me, I bought a beautiful burgundy floral with every intention of making another myosotis maxi dress.  BUT then I remembered that as much as I love a good maxi, they really aren't practical for running up and down stairs and crawling around cleaning bathrooms.  So I decided to make a knee-length dress.  You know, the one on the pattern envelope! 

In all honesty, there is nothing wrong with this dress.  It has the modified to be more open neckline and I've moved the shoulders forward. I went completely collarless and added short sleeves.

I just don't like it.  It feels blah.  and heavy.  It most likely would have been epic as a sleeveless maxi - but that isn't what I made.

So, the next step is to use my vinyl cutter to put a size label at the back neckline and put it in the giveaway pile. I just don't see myself wearing this dress.  In fact, I even gave away the extra fabric already.

Photos by Carolyn taken at Carriage Corner Bed & Breakfast ;)

Sharing them all, because my friend makes me look good!

Testing 1 - 2 - 3

 There is just something about testing. I don't know what it is, but I feel like one of the cool kids when I'm selected. Since first seeing the Collage Gather Top I have been intrigued by the Matchy Matchy Sewing Club. I also really like the Peplum Split Tank. So, when they sent out a testing call, I applied.

Remember when I said I loved gingham? Not lying. I bought way too much of each of these fabrics at a yard each to make a sample of the Skipper Top. I photographed my fabrics in the different locations on the top and ended up with this:

For my version, I made the top to wear with denim shorts. This is the summer that I don't care that my legs are ugly - they are good legs!

This was a very easy sew, once I figured out which fabric went where. The hardest part (for me) was putting the PDF together.

I think, all in all, I spent maybe 4 hours on this little top. I made View A and used the gathered front piece for Views B&C

As you can see, I used all red & white fabrics, a 1/4" gingham, a window pane plaid and a larger red & white plaid.

If I were to make it again, and honestly, I don't know that I will, I would add length to the front as a mock full bust adjustment. I realize the top is cropped, but it feels just a bit too cropped for me.

Also - I had to take these pictures by myself.  But hey - at least I'm still documenting my sewing - right?!