Friday, June 14, 2019

A Palate Cleanser

I made this dress in 2016 when I'd just changed jobs and lost 35lbs. I was really into maxi dresses because I couldn't wear them at my previous job. I was also still trying to get used to the fact that I could wear jeans to work. It was a culture shock to go from totally professional dressing to wearing whatever I felt like...so I gently slid into the whatever I want...meaning that I was a little overdressed my first year at the job.


When making this dress even though I'd washed both fabrics separately before I used them, I'd never washed the two together.  This is what happened when I washed them as the maxi dress...




At first I thought I would be able to shout or bleach out the stains so it sat waiting for me to do that. It sat for over a year. Sometime earlier this spring I started to think I should just take it apart and make a maxi skirt. I finally did that.

It was easy to rip apart as I watched TV. In the meantime, I've added another one of these maxi dresses in these fabrications to my "To Sew" list. Hopefully that match will fare better.

To make this a maxi skirt ~ 
- I added the skirt portion to a 2" wide black elastic cut a couple inches shorter than my waistline
- I purposely did not iron the skirt before pinning it to the elastic. 
- Since the top was already gathered, it made it easier to pin the gathered fabric to the elastic.
- I added one line of stitching at 5/8" and then again at 1/4" to secure it.
- Because it was already hemmed, once the elastic was attached, the skirt was done.

A few pictures ~







It only took a couple of hours to add a new skirt to my closet. This summer I'm concentrating on adding more maxi skirts, maxi dresses and wide legged pants to my wardrobe. I've accumulated so many maxi dress patterns over the years that I'd like to challenge myself by actually sewing a few of them!

...as always more later!




14 comments:

  1. Nice save!! It looks great!

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  2. I like it! Nice save; I like the skirt fabric. I just made my first maxi dress. Haven't worn it yet, though.

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  3. Good save! I love it with the coral cardigan.

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  4. Really lovely skirt. I'm glad you saved it.

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  5. A Palate Cleanser - perfect description. I just finished doing the same to a dress that was overwhelmingly busy as a whole. So I cut it off at the waist, finished off the top as a blouse, and was about to do the skirt when I needed a break, so decided to read your post. Now I know what I'll do with the skirt - like yours, I will put on a wide black elastic waistband. Love your posts!

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  6. I wish you could show us how to do the elastic right, when I try it, it doesn't turn out evenly, seems to stretch the elastic...?

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    Replies
    1. Instructions on how to put the elastic in are included in this post: https://sewingfantaticdiary.blogspot.com/2016/08/a-high-low-skirt.html - hope that helps!

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  7. Now Sewing blog just posted some results of removing fabric bleeding dyes - taken from the quilt world. https://www.colorwaysbyvicki.com/save-my-bleeding-quilt.html#/

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  8. Always wash using Color Catchers by Shout. You will not have colors bleeding onto each other. I am a quilter and I use Color Catchers with my quilting projects and in my regular laundry. Cheryl DeWitte

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    Replies
    1. I always use Color Catchers when I prewash and never when I'm doing my laundry. I thought all the dye was out but obviously it wasn't. This was a good solution though and I will remake this pattern because I loved that maxi dress.

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  9. Separates are always a bit more versatile. I love the colors you've chosen to wear with the skirt. I need to make a maxi skirt or two. I love this one.

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  10. Very professional and fun at the same time. Love it with the coral sweater. You look lovely.

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  11. I love longer skirts myself. I'm glad I am not the only one.

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  12. Turning the dress into a maxi skirt was a great save. I do hope the dress gets made again - I love how the shoulders are cut in just a little bit - it's a great look! g

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