I managed to get the Donna Karan dress made and that was it. Basically I've spent the last few days trying to cough up my lungs and watching alot of television. On Thursday when I pulled the pattern pieces for Butterick 5600 out of it's envelope I wanted to cry. Can we just say A-L-O-T of pattern alterations will be needed to make this dress work on my plus size body...*sigh*...just too much work for me to contemplate in my weakened state.
So today when I could finally lift my head off the pillow, I resorted to my TNT dress pattern so that I would at least have two new things to show for the nine days I've been home from work...and two new things to wear to work this week...the only good thing about this whole sickness debaucle is that this Friday is Good Friday and I won't have to work!
I did, however, use one of my new fabrics...purchased from GStreet in Rockville, MD last weekend. When I picked the fabric up I knew I wanted to use it with my TNT pattern. I'd been looking for a border print that I could run down the front and back of a dress...
The front of the dress...
The back of the dress...
Some stats:
Pattern:
TNT dress pattern
Fabric:
Pique border print knit
Notions:
22" invisible zipper
3 yards knit bias binding
Construction:
I can make this dress in my sleep, I've made it so many times. It was perfect to highlight the fabric...which I cut out with the border running down the front side and in two different directions in the back to look like color blocking.
I used a knit bias binding from my notions collection to finish off the neckline and the armholes. After sewing the binding down and flipping it to the wrong side of the dress, I understitched it. Finally cutting the bias binding close to the stitching line.
A one inch hem was ironed up using some stitch witchery so that I wouldn't have to worry about a hemline showing through...and this dress was done. It actually was just as easy to sew as the DKNY knit dress. So I have two new dresses for work this week.
I've picked apart the pieces of the Butterick 5598 dress that I was working on before vacation and will pick it back up this Friday since I already have my Easter outfit ready.
...as always, more later!
Your new dress looks great, Carolyn. Sorry to hear you have been sick during your vacation.
ReplyDeleteYour dress looks very nice. It is spring break here and we are all sick, so I understand how it goes with the horrible timing of illnesses! Hope you feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you used the border print, especially the front. There's nothing like something new in your closet to lift spirits. Hope you feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteFeel better soon, pretty dress.
ReplyDeleteAt least you got a little bit of sewing done, so it wasn't a total loss. The new dress is cute!
ReplyDeleteDon't you just hate getting sick on holidays!! Well at least you got to rest and still have two dresses. Good use of the border :)
ReplyDeleteLove the way you have used the border. I also find that I push myself at work so much that when I go on vacation and that one little bug is around, they go hey we got you. Hope you feel much better soon.
ReplyDeleteGosh, I really like your use of that border print. I have seldom used a border print. I guess I am afraid of them. I have to start using my TNT patterns more creatively.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you have use the border print on this dress. It's really fun!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to use a border print - hope you're feeling better.
ReplyDeleteLove the way you used your border fabric for the colour blocking. You will feel like a new woman when you return to work with two new dresses to flaunt. Hope you are feeling better.
ReplyDeleteI love your choice to change the border direction. It looks fantastic & is very flattering.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you were sick during your vacation!. The new dress is really pretty
ReplyDeleteHi Carolyn, I hope you're feeling better now. I love the dress - really like what you did with the border.
ReplyDeleteI love how you play with the border in the front and in the back on the dress !
ReplyDeleteHope you feel better soon !
I love the color blocking effect on this. Very clever!
ReplyDeletehope you feel better soon :) Your dress looks great!
ReplyDeleteAshley x
:((((( Sorry to hear that the illness stuck to you like that. This dress came out great, though! I love the color and how you've used the border print.
ReplyDeleteI just got home tonight. I work tomorrow but I need to decompress. There was a giant box waiting for me, however. ;) I haven't opened it yet...
Very clever and another great interpretation of your TNT pattern with the border print. How annoying to be sick on your vacation, do hope you are feeling better soon.
ReplyDeleteToo bad getting sick on your holiday, but the dress you made looks beatiful. Where do you find knit bias binding? And do knit bindings have to be cut on the bias, I mean they're already stretchy aren't they?
ReplyDeleteI hope you feel better soon Carolyn I have had a vacation or two like that. Your sewing is sew inspiring and I learn so much from you.
ReplyDeleteDottie
You never fail to inspire me! I love the idea of putting the border down the front and back like that. So clever!
ReplyDeleteoh no! I hope your lungs behave better in the future....
ReplyDeleteI love the dress, I've never thought of running a border print vertically but it's a great look.
Great dress! Love the way you used that border print, especially the left back---yeah for asymmetry! Have a good (short) week. Peggy
ReplyDeleteYou work well with those border prints. That's a very pretty dress. Feel better.
ReplyDeleteWhat a yucky way to celebrate vacation! Glad you're feeling better.
ReplyDeleteI love the dress--especially the back of it.
Love, love, love this. You are getting more and more creative dress by dress.
ReplyDeleteYou never cease to amaze me with more and more renditions from the same dress pattern. This one looks fantastic, as always.
ReplyDeleteWow, nice use of the border print! Hope you feel better soon
ReplyDeleteLove the border!
ReplyDeleteLovely dress. I have not felt the draw of boarder print fabric just yet, but I bet one day I'll be looking at something in Fabricland and think of this dress and decide it's time to start.
ReplyDeleteHope you are feeling better soon.
Love the border on the front of the dress - what a great fabric!
ReplyDeleteOh it looks great! I've been wanting to find some lovely border prints too. That is fabulous. g
ReplyDeleteI hope this doesn't go through twice. I don't know what I did with the first one. In a nutshell--tell us more about bias knit binding. I've never seen this product, and I want it. I'm trying not to use traditional facings, and I use regular commercial bindings often, but knit bias bindings would make life much, much easier. And, BTW, if I continue to work very hard, maybe my rear end will look as good in my dresses as yours does in this! Brava.
ReplyDeleteOh poor you Carolyn. To be sick on vacation is just not fair. ( I had a horrible cold and sore throat the whole time we were in Paris in the fall)
ReplyDeleteYour dress is lovely. I'm inspired to to that border on something!!
Beautiful use of the border! Sorry to hear you aren't feeling well, spring colds are the worst! I grew up in Rockville...I so miss shopping at G-street. I didn't realize what a treasure it was until I moved away.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you used the border down the front. Cute dress.
ReplyDeleteONE dress...harumpf! You'll just have to make up for it on Friday :). It's cute on you!
ReplyDeleteLove! the print running down the front. Hope you feel better soon. No one should get sick on vacation.
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ReplyDeleteLooks great!! Love the border print. Hope you feel better soon.n
ReplyDeleteVery clever use of your fabric! Cute dress. So sorry you were sick on your vacation--so unfair! Feel better fast!
ReplyDeleteLynda in LV
Beautiful dress - love the vertical border!
ReplyDeleteGood job! Great work even as you weren't feeling well. Feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteFeel better - the change of seasons can be rough!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great dress!
What a fabulous use of a border print! I love it! Hope you're feeling better soon, too.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very flattering dress. I don't normally like blue but I keep seeing more and more of it this year and it's beginning to grow on me. Hope the cold that you have is not like the one that's going around here at the moment. It's knocking people off their feet for a week. I hope you're better soon.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that you were sick but ... on the other hand I'm glad to hear that it's not just me that gets sick on vacation. Your dress is great - very clever! I don't expect any less from you.
ReplyDeleteWhat is that saying about the best laid plan of mice and men(or women).... oh well! You did get a very lovely dress completed.
ReplyDeleteOh, no! I'm so sorry you got sick on your vacation! But, your dress looks fantastic. I love what you did with the border print. Just gorgeous!!
ReplyDeletekeep it up.....love looking at the more generous sewer's blog..........usually do not leave a comment, thought you might get a bit busy at the computer and not at the machine, and we cannot have THAT happening, marijke
ReplyDeleteOne BEAUTIFUL dress!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so inspired by you!!
:)
Take Care!!
Oh Carolyn, I'm so sorry you have ben sick! I hope you are feeling better now. I will never catch up with back blog posts, I've been too erratic to keep looking backward, but I had to stop by and say that your new dress is fabulous and I love the way you used that border print.
ReplyDeleteHow did I miss this post? I love how you used the border print. I might have to steal that idea someday *GRIN*
ReplyDeleteOne question...where do you get knit bias binding? Inquiring minds...
Have a great Easter weekend!
I have been following your blog for quite some time. I must say -you really do have skills. I have a question for you. I recently purchased Vogue #8553 and I was so sad when I found out that it was for knit fabrics only. How do make this pattern using cotton? Is this possible? Please forgive me if this sounds really simple. I have not done much sewing at in several years - since I had my son and I have forgotten a whole lot. Thanks so much for all of the inspiration that you provide.
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