Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Butterick 5415 - My Fat Day Dress

I'll admit it.  I have fat days just like other women.  Days when I don't want anything too tight or too constricting on my body.  I have several dresses in my wardrobe for both fall & winter to wear on those days.  You've even seen a few:

Butterick 5179












                                                        
      Butterick 5247

or these spring time versions:

         Vogue 1091                                        New Look 6779

So I deliberately chose Butterick 5415 for a fat day look.  Now I know that the pattern envelope shows a slim looking dress...but I'm not really a slim girl...and I knew that if I made this dress up in my measurements with enough ease to gently skim my protruding parts that I would end up with a fat day dress.

I have a few requirements for fat day dresses:

1.  They must have some interesting detail that the eye can focus on.  They can't just be large rectangles.

2.  They should be made from a distinctive fabric...so the eye has something to engage it.

3.  It must not be long in length...can we just say dowdy!

4.  It must not constrict any body part or it defeats the purpose of a fat day dress!

5.  And it absolutely must be fashionable!

*LOL*  That's alot right!  So, here's a look at Butterick 5415 - my newest Fat Day Dress:

(please excuse the date and the glare from the necklace
I was using my daughter's camera because mine isn't working)

Some stats:

Fabric: 
100% wool from Mood Fabrics
Black accents wool/poly blend from fabric.com

Lining: 
Black Rayon Ambiance from Elegant Fabrics

Notions:
20" black invisible zipper

Construction:
1.  I did a pivot and slide on the front piece to add 2" to the waist and hemline.

2.  I added 1/2" to the center back starting at the waistline and going to the hem.

3.  I added 1/2" to both side seams on the sleeve gradually increasing from the underarm seam.

And that's it...since I was going for a loosely fitted dress, there weren't a lot of gyrations to perform.

The actual sewing of the dress is pretty straightforward.  I did add a lining to the dress.  That is where I experienced my only challenge because the pattern instructs you to sew the front facing to the wrong side of the garment and flip it to the front.  Since I sewed the lining to the right side and flipped it into the dress, I had to improvise adding the facing.   

It's okay...not great but workable and it will highlight a great pin or necklace...of which, I have both!  The pattern also advises using a back facing in the same contrast fabric ~ I omitted that.  I only wanted the facing in the front. 

To me this is actually a pretty fat day dress primarily because of the choice of fabric.  And it will make me feel good on one of those mornings when I wake up feeling bloated and achy and not wanting to work to hard when getting dressed.

So there you have it...Butterick 5415 - My Fat Day Dress!

...as always, more later!

55 comments:

  1. It's gorgeous Carolyn, and you look great in it.

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  2. Too funny!! Thanks for the chuckle after I read the title because I can sooo relate! Love the dress ... you look great in it!

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  3. Whether it's all in our heads or not it is such a great idea to have some lovely garments you can just pull on and not think about on those inevitable fat days.

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  4. I love that, Carolyn. You look great in it too. I can relate to the fat days too only at my age, I call them "lumpy" days or "gravity" days. hehehe

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  5. I love the idea of a "fat day" dress! And you did a remarkable job. Very nice.

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  6. This is lovely and you look fantastic. I'm having a fat, old and ugly week and I am wearing the wrong dress today which makes it worse. I'd never thought to consciously make a fat day dress, but it's a brilliant idea and I'm going to search my patterns tonight for an appropriate pattern. I would wear your dress with purple shoes.

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  7. Lovely dress - I really like the fabric combination you used.

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  8. Oh my goodness!! It is just lovely. I love all the requirements for a fat day dress. I hope you won't mind if I steal them. Thanks for sharing all your sewing adventures.

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  9. So so so pretty! If I had that dress I would think to myself "yay! it's a fat day!"

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  10. We all need a fat day dress! I like your suggestion to use an interesting fabric.

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  11. I can't believe that is wool fabric, I've never seen such a gorgeous print in wool. The black bands are such a great contrast. You certainly have a great eye for fabric, and of course having access to Mood Fabrics helps as well!

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  12. Another gorgeous dress! Love the wool print.

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  13. All I can say is "wow!" Such an amazing dress. I think putting that dress on would turn anyone's fat day to a fab day.

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  14. Fantastic dress! I love the fabric, and the black contrast keeps a frame around the whole thing so the print is not too much. Great job!

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  15. You look absolutely gorgeous in this dress and should wear it on a regular basis (not on just your "feeling fat" days)! LOVE the purple fabric!!!

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  16. Fabulous for a "fat day" dress!!

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  17. Carolyn, you are the quintessential dress girl! LOOOVE the purple! I'm always so envious of your wonderful photos. Someday I'll learn to use the self-timer.

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  18. You certainly did meet all of your requirements on all of these!! I really love the new one, too!

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  19. It's beautiful! I'd never have guessed it was meant to be a Fat Day dress. It looks great on you.

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  20. That is a HOT dress!! What a great idea to have amazingly beautiful Fat Day dresses! love it!

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  21. If that's the way you look on a fat day you're doing okay. It's so pretty.

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  22. I love all of your fat day dresses and your latest addition is wonderful. The colours in that fabric are beautiful - you really dazzle in those shades (it's not just the necklace!). I have a whole heap of garments for fat days but I really need some more - your list of requirements is perfect!

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  23. What a beautiful dress. I am recently retired and even in jeans and sweats I still have fat days. I cant wait to get to a Mood.

    I have a question for you. You recently mentioned your sewing journal. Would you mind explaining what you keep in it and why? I am a born-again sewer and think I should keep a journal with fabric swatches etc. but have not done it. How do you use yours?

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  24. I love your guidelines! My "fat day" outfits are not nearly as stylish. Now I'm feeling inspired to work on this...

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  25. Carolyn this is a beautiful dress and you look gorgeous in it. You inspires me to make dresses more. All my lumps & bumps are in all the wrong places and where I need curves I don't have them. This sometimes makes sewing what I really like to wear a real challenge. Your beautiful creations are always so inspiring for us full figure ladies.

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  26. Love the Dress and such a gorgeous print.

    I thought I was the only one with fat day garments. I like to wear skirts with elastic waistbands and pair it with a tank top and cardigan.

    I remember a day I had on a suit that was restricting me in every way... I was so miserable that day and decided fat day garments are a necessity in my wardrobe.

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  27. Love it! Love the print and the trim, such a great combo. Very chic. I totally understand the fat day dress. I could have used one yesterday when I had to go try on a bunch of super fitted cocktail dresses. joy.

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  28. I am thinking of making this same pattern out of a bold knit in my stash. I'm just wondering if I want to make with the contrast bands or not. I like your version!

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  29. I'm with Kristy re that fabric -- and would love to see a close-up if your camera woes go away! Such a great look for this transitional time of year.

    All the dresses look great on you, but (with apologies to the Butterick) I think my favorite is the New Look. The way you've combined the ivory and blue = amazing.

    [And I admit I prefer the longer leg line one gets without contrast at the hem. /shorter person hangup]

    I can't even comprehend that the knockout Vogue is a FD Dress. My brain won't go beyond thinking about how gorgeous it looks on you to consider it has non-decorative purposes!

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  30. I know what you mean about a "fat day" dress. I definitely need one of those, too. I think the dress looks wonderful on you! I love the contrasting bands!

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  31. I love the dress and it looks good on you.....

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  32. This dress is gorgeous! I love the fabric, it's hard to believe it's wool.

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  33. All these dresses are very feminine and unique.
    You know how to add something very special ( Carolyn's touch ) to the simplest garments.
    I love the New Look dress

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  34. Girl I am feeling you about the fat days. Everything should just float around on those days. That's at least what I'd like to happen on those days. I love your new dress. I have to admit I like the blue and white dress the best. It's a beautiful color on you.

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  35. I love it! You look beautiful. I need a couple of no-nonsense dresses on days that I feel blah. Thanks for the sewing humor.

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  36. Carolyn, it's gorgeous. That print is just the perfect scale and such a lovely color.

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  37. Very nice dress. I don't know about it being a fat day dress; looks like an any day dress to me.Love it.

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  38. As always, you look like a million bucks!

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  39. I like your criteria for fat day dresses, and I completely get where you were going with this, but honestly, it's too pretty for just fat days - you're going to be pulling this one out often.

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  40. Coucou,
    I don't speak english very well but I want just tell you that all you sew is very fabulous. Bravo

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  41. I like the fabric and your version. And I love the way that dress will brighten even the most dreary day or mood.

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  42. Lovely! I'm so glad you were still able to make the dress work using the woven fabric. Very pretty!

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  43. Well your fat day dresses have you looking amazing, while mine just have me wanting to run back to my covers! lol

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  44. Oh What a great look and a real pick-me-up for this time of year.I love it!

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  45. I posted a comment over at Flickr earlier, but love reading your blog posts so thought I would add again that I really like this dress.

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  46. what a great idea to make a dress especially for the days you feel fat! And thanks for the list of requirements you use. I tend to just want to hang a sheet over me, from head to toe!

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  47. I can't believe you call these fat day dresses...because you look fantastic in all of them!! If these are clothes for the days you don't feel your best...whoo, girl! The world had better watch out on a good day!

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  48. You know, I'd have never known those were the "fat day" dresses had you not told us. I think they're pretty fab, but then again, what's better on a fat day than a fabulous dress?

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  49. you're so talented! Wish I could sew as well as you do!

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  50. Lovely dresses! Anytime you don't want "Fat Day Dress", I will gladly take them off of your hands ;D

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  51. I love all these styles of dresses on scorching hot days. A simple A-frame is a favorite style of mine. Cheers!

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