Saturday, May 21, 2016

A Pinterest Denim Dress

This denim dress from Pinterest influenced the making of my second denim dress. 

The Pinterest denim dress ~

My version of the dress ~

Supply List ~
Black Denim from EOS purchased in December 2015
Pleated black pleather also from EOS
18" black invisible zipper
Pattern: Vogue 8824


Pattern choice and construction details ~
I honestly thought I was going to start this dress using my TNT dress but after the latest issue of Vogue Pattern Magazine arrived in my mailbox, I saw how they revived Vogue 8824 and was inspired. Then I remembered that I've made that dress. Unfortunately it was one of the dresses that was purged because it had become too big to wear. It was a favorite so I have fond thoughts of this pattern.

Assembling the Bodice ~
The front of Vogue 8824 is perfect to reproduce the Pinterest dress. I started with the largest size the pattern offered - an XXL which is actually smaller than the traced pattern pieces I originally used. So I used the lengthen/shorten line on the pattern front and back to cut out the top of the dress.


I added a 5/8" seam allowance to the front so that I could make sure my top matched the inspiration dress. I also added a 5/8" seam to the bodice back. One of the things that I didn't like about the original dress was that there wasn't a zipper in the back to make it easier to get into the dress.  With this dress, I rectified that problem.  Though the only zipper I had on hand was a 12" invisible zipper so I added it, figuring that with the wide front neckline opening would help with the shorter zipper in the back.

Tissue fitting helped me to make sure the darts landed in the right place and that the length was good on me. Then after I sewed the top together and tried it on for fit, I realized that I wanted to make the front opening wider. So I folded the front pieces down one more time.

Assembling the Dress Bottom ~
After cutting the dress front and backs out, I measured the front of me and determined that I needed to add another 18" to the bottom of the dress to get the length I wanted.


I love the strips on the inspiration dress but to me there are just two many for my shape. So I divided the 18" into 3 and cut 6" wide strips the full length of the fabric which I cut off on either side after the strips were sewn to the dress.

When the strips were assembled and added to the dress bodice front and back, I basted one side seam together to insure the seams matched. Then stitched it flat and pressed it open. That's when the topstitching began...all the topstitching! 

The Topstitching~
  • To make the topstitching, I used the triple stitch on my machine with a length of 4 using regular Gutterman thread.
  • I first did some topstitching on the bodice front pieces in black but it melded into the fabric so it wouldn't be worth the time and effort and I really wanted topstitching.
  • My choices were a purple, a royal blue and a teal thread.


I went with the royal blue choice after sending a sample to Gaylen asking her opinion.

So the topstitching commenced...though about halfway through I started to feel as if I'm repeating myself. All of the topstitching reminded me of this dress that I made in July/August 2013. It made me wonder if I'm just repeating myself or if I actually have anything new to add?! *sigh*

This was also the longest part of making the dress...and the most boring! It took me forever to get the topstitching done because I had to sew slowly and be precise or the topstitching would look awful.

However, when my daughter showed up to take the pictures, it was the part she noticed first and commented on.  So I guess all of the time sewing that topstitching was worth it!

Sleeves ~
I cut the sleeves out with a seam down the center of the sleeve for two reasons.


One because I was using the original sleeve pattern and was worried that it would be too tight through the biceps.  Two because originally I thought I would leave a slit in that center sleeve. But when I started working on the sleeves, I realized I had enough space and that nothing should take away from the topstitching. 

Though can I talk about the fact that I should have removed some of the ease from the sleeve cap because gathering that excess ease and inserting it into the sleeve? Cause it was a pain. I like smooth sleeve caps and this denim was thick and not easy to manipulate. I took the sleeves out a couple of times and reduced the bulk of the gathers as best as I could. However, it should have been removed prior to cutting out the fabric.

A few more pictures ~
The wind was blowing so hard that my updo 
was blowing all around!



Conclusion ~
When I put the dress on for the final fitting, I was sooooooo happy because not only did the dress fit but it was everything I wanted. Plus it's denim AND a dress, what's not to like!?!

The insert is from a piece of pleather I purchased from Emmaonesock after Christmas last year. I decided to just baste it into the dress front so that it can be removed when the dress is washed and dried.


Finally I love the details of the dress. I loved the challenge of sewing this dress, it made me feel like me again. It will be a great dress for the rest of the chilly spring days we're experiencing. I can also pull it out again in the fall to wear with some tights for another look so it was worth the effort.


I have two more denim dresses I want to make to before I move onto other pieces. Although as I look at these pics, I realize that I really don't know how to do casual! *LOL* But I'm wearing this to work anyway!

...as always more later!





58 comments:

  1. Fabulous dress! Great fit, details, and looks sooooo comfy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This was my favorite dress that you posted and you nailed it!! You look so cute in it and it has a bit of biker chick look too. Love the pleather touch and the top stitching. Just a hint, the pony tail helps it to look more casual. So wear it to work and be envied!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It looks very nice! I think if you wanted to make a denim dress more casual than this you'd need to do copper topstitching.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a great dress! The top stitching is very effective. Tempted to copy you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. A great salute to the original! I too struggle to dress casually. Crikey, even my pyjamas are crisp cotton, haha.... I went through a stage of toning it down to make others feel more comfortable, but then I didn't feel right... So I'm back to being comparatively more dressed up, and happy. This dress looks like a great, similar, solution for you. Enjoy it! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think you have found you work dress style you were looking for. The length is spot on. I can see more of this style working for you. It looks great.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful job!! It looks great on you and the tip stitching looks perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love it! I know you worry about being too dressy at your job but... No one can say denim is too dressy and I think it is perfect. Maybe the people at your job need roster it up a notch!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Very cute dress and excellent job as always!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow! This is really beautiful and suits you so well. Great recreation of the inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'll second the pony-tails make most things look more casual!

    What type of stitch did you use for your topstitching? I'm zooming in on the pictures and it looks like it's wide! Is each blue line lots of single rows or did you use a zigzag?

    I think the outfit is fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The top stitching is the triple stitch #5 stitch on my Janome. Then I lenghten the stitch length from a 2.4 to a 4. I like the look of the stitch with a little longer length rather than the shorter length. All of that top stitching took 2 full bobbins to complete so there's a lot of thread in this dress!

      Delete
  12. Carolyn, how cool is this!!!! Wow!!! You have inspired me! I pin things all the time but rarely go back and create them, but now I MUST!!! I love everything about this! So cute and I agree about the topstitching--it really makes the dress!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sue - I pin for inspiration to sew. My intent is ALWAYS to go back and either make the garment or use some of the details in a future make. I'm not always successful! LOL!

      Delete
  13. Beautiful! What looks to be such a simple dress, actually has so much detail, and that really makes a difference. You look wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  14. You are a top stitching genius!

    ReplyDelete
  15. i love, love, love this. i wish i had something more intelligent to say but that's it!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love the dress! You are quite creative; I am not sure I would have considered those three color choices for the topstitching. By the way, you are not repeating yourself, just doing some more topstitching. This is good.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love your dress, it looks fabulous on you! Your topstitching makes it look like a designer make. Thanks for the info on how you did the topstitching, I will definitely be using it!

    ReplyDelete
  18. amazing! that's some awesome topstitching.

    ReplyDelete
  19. The topstitching was definitely worth it! The dress looks so amazing and suits you so well.

    ReplyDelete
  20. From Creative Hormone Rush: What a cutie patootie dress! The way you've used strips and top-stitching is so visually interesting that I can't stop coveting, er, admiring it. It communicates style, energy, and fun, all in one perfect look.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Beautiful denim dress! Fits you beautifully, and the top-stitching in blue really sets off the design nicely. Congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Your denim dress make is lovely!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Love it! The topstitching looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Carolyn,your style is very classic,denim by nature is a casual fabric,you have maintained your classic style in a casual way by use of this fabrication.Very nice work.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Wow. You really nailed that dress. Very clever. Isn't Pinterest great for inspiration?

    ReplyDelete
  26. That's a very cute dress and looks good on you,the top stitching is an extra bonus.You can probably change out that pleather piece for a lace piece to change it up a bit and give it a different look.GR8 job.
    Kathi

    ReplyDelete
  27. I think I like yours better than the pinterest one. Beautiful and unique.

    ReplyDelete
  28. The top stitching sure makes the dress. Great job following your inspiration dress.

    ReplyDelete
  29. This dress has turned out so well and you look fabulous in it.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I REALLY would love it if you would talk about how you make your fabric choices. It seems that you buy fabric before you know what you will use it for, and I would love to get some insight into how you have developed your "fabric radar." When I go into fabric stores, I sometimes find myself overwhelmed by what I and either do not choose enough or the wrong type. HELP!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Roberta - I can't teach that. I've tried to explain it before but I've come to the conclusion that it's just a gift I have. To me fabric is the raw material I work with and I collect a lot of it to use for future projects. Sometimes I buy it because it's pretty, sometimes I have an idea in mind, most times I buy to store for when inspiration strikes.

      Delete
    2. Hi Roberta - I'm not Carolyn, but I do know her and have been fabric shopping with her a time or two! I tried to go see if you have a blog, but couldn't find one. For me - personally - since knowing Carolyn, my fabric buying habits have changed. The first time I met her in New York - almost 10 years ago now - I was completely overwhelmed with the quality of fabric available there. Coming from someone who's only real sources were JoAnns/Hancocks and a really expensive brick and mortar and it was really hard for me to buy what I considered to be 'expensive fabric.'

      It took me a really long time to come to 2 conclusions - 1. find an online fabric source that I trusted. It's important to know that the description is accurate and that you won't end up with a poor quality fabric. I am personally in love with FabricMart, but Gorgeous Fabrics and Emma One Sock are also great resources - and there are many, many more, but you have to buy fabric ti build a relationship and trust the descriptions. Also - buy quality - the sewing process will be more enjoyable and your garments will last longer.

      2. Based on Carolyn's recommendations (she used to do a I bought this - you should too kind of post) I have bought fabric. I know for my body and what I sew that if I purchase 4 yards of a beautiful knit I can make a dress and a tee or a skirt for one of my daughters. Or a dress with a fuller skirt or sometimes, I can get a dress, and 2 skirts or maybe even 2 dresses. And I'm okay with that. I'd much rather have too much fabric than not enough for the design in my mind when I get to the fabric. I believe if you go back through some of the fabric posts you will see that Carolyn used to purchase good quality (not necessarily expensive) fabrics in solid colors so there was enough for a wardrobe - pants, skirt & jacket, or pants, dress & jacket all from the same fabric - in a solid wool or linen that would be a workhorse in her (at the time) very corporate job.

      We laughed this year at Expo when shopping because I bought many of the same pieces that Carolyn did and we even shared a large cut of fabric. We won't make the same garment from the fabric - but I have often said - "if Carolyn buys it and I love it" - buy a piece.

      Maybe, now that she's not buying as much fabric - she'll start posting the occasional - if I was buying fabric, I'd buy this type of post again. I hope that helps you. gaylen

      Delete
  31. This is the perfect interpretation of the pinterest dress! I love how dedicated you are to see something - sew something. The topstitching is amazing and I love the pleated leather inset! And that it's removable for laundry. Brilliant! g

    ReplyDelete
  32. Super cute! I love the addition of the leather gives it texture. Can't go wrong with a denim dress!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Denim with a Carolyn attitude. Righteous fashion!

    ReplyDelete
  34. That is fabulous! I might need one too!

    ReplyDelete
  35. I really like how this dress looks on you. The details make it special, and were worth every minute it took to create them.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Great looking denim dress! Your dress has become an inspiration for me. I love all the topstitching; it is tedious sewing though!

    ReplyDelete
  37. This is such a great dress and very flattering to your figure. I love how you find inspiration in RTW and then duplicate it. You are very inspiring!

    ReplyDelete
  38. You have outdone yourself with this one! I love, love, love it!

    ReplyDelete
  39. Looks very nice on you! I have sewn a few denim dresses. I made them in the 80's. Now I wish I hadn't donated them away. I love your blogging because it inspires me to up my sewing. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  40. This is one of my favorite of your dress creations. It's spectacular!
    I love the contrasting topstitching, it just pops.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Thanks sooo much for sharing. The dress is so YOU!! I'm going to be a copycat!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mary - copy away! It is a fun dress and now that I'm removed from the making of it...I'm glad I did interpret this and add it to my wardrobe!

      Delete
  42. I like that you only put 3 wider rows of fabric around the hem, as opposed to the many rows on the inspiration dress. It looks cleaner and less busy to me. Your topstitching is beautiful, and your color choice is perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  43. I love how you used the resources available to you to make a dress that so much recalls your inspiration dress and looks great on you and embodies your style.

    ReplyDelete
  44. What a wonderful dress. Perfect topstitching too!

    ReplyDelete
  45. Beautiful, from inspiration to your interpretation! Love what you made, in all details. And it suits you very well. Congrats

    ReplyDelete
  46. Love the design details of your demin dress. Looking Good!

    ReplyDelete
  47. I gotta add my comment - I love this dress, and appreciate all the sewing that went into it. A dress for the ages!

    ReplyDelete
  48. Fantastic denim dress, love all the lines and topstitching, you are looking so happy with this dress!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Fabulous dress, I want one for me! I like that pattern you showed too, as is, and one could do so much with it. You get such a great fit in your makes.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! It is so appreciated!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails