spadea 256 by fontana - maxi skirt to mid knee dress

I was a bit aprehensive picking up this skirt at the Charity Shop.  The colour was lovely, the seams were minimal, and the label New Look.  New Look is like Pennys/Primark / Forever 21 - very fast fashion, very basic quality fabric.    However, I also wanted to try out this Fontana Dress so I picked this on up.  The fabric is viscose, so lovely drape, but so easily creased.  The Spadea pattern is incredibly simple which is just as well as I believe their instruction can be minimal regardless of the complexity of the pattern.  Its really a back, front, facings, tie and loop.

I starched the fabric to make it a bit easier to handle and hand basted the lining as  I wasn't taking any chances here as the fabric was so thin - seriously, it could pack into its own evening purse.   Its only in the last year that I have lined pieces in this manner, previously I always did the lining separate, and it always hid the seam finishes of the outer layer,  the fabric used for these garments were the correct weight so didn't need the support of the lining working as an interlining and, and most things I make have very simple lines.  This and the Pauline Trigere dress are the only patterns I have used to date that specify attaching lining, and while I can see the advantages,  I don't like how my seam finishes are on show as I generally finish with a zig-zag.  I could make the supreme effort and do hong kong seams, but I am always thinking I may get a serger in the future.  I have not tried an overlock foot on my machine, and am curious about the finish - has anyone used these? I find the zig zag can buckle the seam edge with lighter fabrics...  

So as I said... I basted the lining, just to be sure.  Then it was just a matter of darts which were straight forward, and the facings.  There was not enough fabric for the facings so I got a small amount of polyester in a contrast colour and used that.  The tie was made of a mish-mash of scraps running in different directions.  I was not going to get pedantic there - originally I was going to use the contrast colour, but it looks a bit like over kill so I didn't.  The dress is cut 10cm shorter than pattern as thats all the fabric I had, and this has the hem at knee length which I prefer. 

I have yet to put a zip in the dress and hem.  I don't have any occasion to wear it in the near future so I have left as is but it is hanging in my wardrobe as opposed to work room cupboard, so it is just waiting for a suitable moment!  as a by-the-way, there is a good amount of 'livability' in the dress, I made the pattern up without alteration, and it easily fits my (non-conforming) hip measurement (up to 2 sizes bigger).when I sit down............................. very happy with dress, simple and effective.

butterick 2704 - skirt to a dress

For a few reasons, I seem to have spent much of December trying to make winter dresses for myself.  I have a pair of brown boots I love but little to wear with them, so I figured I could run up some tunic dresses and have a great selection to wear within weeks, how wrong I was.  Between one thing and another, none of the dresses seemed right.  I wanted a dress or tunic that was semi-fitted, comfortable, and that would work with knee high chunky leather boots, and my body shape.....and that would be fab, so it became a month of trial and error.    It now looks like January will be a month of tweaking the nearly done flawed other dresses before I can get onto another coat remake. 

The first skirt was a polyester cupro, great weight, and the colour was a bit dowdy, but I thought I could figure something later.  I used the butterick beach dress and made it shorter.  The skirt was taken apart, and the side seams went out for hips, and in again - in a lot more than the waist width - probably to keep the line of skirt tidy, but I didn't anticipate the loss of fabric here.(the skirt is  a uk size 18, I am a 12/14).  The dress pattern neckline is at the skirt hemline in the photo.    I was able to make the hips marginally bigger, and the overall length of centre front neck is 84cm, so a bit above knee.  I had made the dress before from cotton, and it was incredibly quick to run up.

In the photo, and on mannequin there is a drag of fabric above darts but this isn't evident on when wearing it(?) - I am hoping its the fabric as it didn't happen with the cotton version. I am not 100% happy with the balance of the tunic.  Where the dart ends' the waist shaping begins and it seems to cut the line the dress in half and makes it look a bit dumpy (as it is made shorter than the pattern is ).  I am probably being over critical, I have worn it, and its comfortable, and has shape, so thats 2 out of 3.  I will consider applique trim of another colour for neck and hem if I come across an appropriate shade or fabric, but not until the other dresses are got to a finished state...................

McCalls 7530 - Pauline Trigere Dress skirt to dress

This is the most expensive pattern I have ever bought! ..... and I am beginning to be a fan of Pauline Trigere.  I also love coats so thought at least this was a 3 for 1 pattern.  I also thought I would do the dress first as it was probably easier than jacket/coat.(not so famous last words)

The bodice takes up a little bit more fabric than you would think (or I would think), so getting the right fabric, with right amount from a secondhand piece of clothing was the next hurdle (as in the pile of stuff on the chair beside mannequin).  I did have an orange wrap skirt 100% viscose which I did first and then a blue silk wrap skirt as the next one.

I made the pattern to the envelope size, even though I am size or two larger on hips (classic pear).  The skirt fits me - but just about.  I thought if I made it to the envelope size it would give a truer indication of design, and then either i could finish for someone else to wear or use the fabric for something else.  

The orange dress has the perfect weight for the dress, and ultimately the only issue I had were the facings - I used interfacing on autopilot where I shouldn't have, and they did not fit as well (I cheated and used a seam on centre back and front).  Straps are still pinned on as the facings will be redone.

The dress is flat-lined which is something I have never done before (strangely enough), and it gave good weight and form  to the bodice, which is a simple but a very effective cut.  The fit of the bodice is great especially when you consider there are only 2 darts used.  There is a short underskirt underneath, and a waist stay.   The skirt has a small amount of gathers so I thought up-sizing would be little issue and if anything should be easier as there would be more fabric to gather in larger size.

The blue dress is a light silk (so I starched it plenty before I started!).  The interfacing went on easily by stretching the bodice, and I decided I would also add the pockets for this dress (so handy).   I am still undecided about the blue dress as the silk is so light I now think I could have used a heavier lining fabric, whereas the weight of the orange dress is perfect.  I am unsure also about the extra gathers and wonder if soft pleats could work better.......................  so I didn't hem this one yet either!

Simplicity 4826 Purple Smocked Frock - skirt to dress

This is definitely a great upcycle as there were only tiny scraps left, and I forgot to take a photo of the skirt in its before state.  The fabric is a purple polyester shantung, so easy to sew and easy to launder. 

This pattern is so so quick.  I traced the smocking dots and then used carbon paper to apply to the dress front.  The direct smocking (unlike traditional english smocking) is super fast!   I managed to get the dress cut from the skirt, and the lining was re-used also.  The waistband became the belt (that still needs a buckle).  I prefer the dress without the belt, but I think my sister prefers it with the belt.  

The dress is simple to make, after cutting the front is smocked and some pleats tacked into place.  the back has a zipper and two neck darts and then the back and front are sewn together.  I lined the dress as there was no fabric for facings, and used bias binding on the neck and armholes after to strengthen them.    

This dress has found its way to my sisters wardrobe as I made it in her measurements.  and I intend to make another, and this one will include beading in the smocking.  I got this pattern from Amanda at OhSewCharming .