Simplicity 2894 Again

This dress was first made in 2017.  I made it in a stretch denim and as soon as I started to lose weight, I wore it more often.  In the last 2 years, I've worn it to work and out to dinner with friends and family. It was the perfect dress. Since I've seen some RTW dresses with similar features, I thought I would make it again this year.

I worked on this dress during my July sewcation. I used an Oscar de la Renta lightweight linen border print that I purchased from Marcy Tilton at least 2 years ago.  Of course this isn't what I originally purchased the fabric for, however, I'm allowed to change my mind! 😉

Cutting Details:

Since this was a border print, I carefully plotted out how I cut the dress out.  I knew the majority of the Magnolia print would be at the bottom of the dress.  I wanted my collar and sleeves to feature the Magnolia print too. I also wanted the pockets to be cut from the print.  While they don't match exactly they work for what I had in mind.

Construction Details:

I made this pattern exactly like the pattern suggests.  The only difference I made this time was to line the pockets. Why? I wanted them to be functional and my linen is LIGHTWEIGHT! 

To make the lined pockets:

I cut the lining fabric out omitting the 5/8" seam allowance the pocket top

Stitched the pocket top seam together to form the pocket with the lining - then pressed

Trim the seam on both sides.

Serged the edge without the curve so the edge will be clean finished when sewn into the dress front.

Stitched the lining and fabric pocket together on the curved side. Clipped the seams. Then flipped and pressed flat.

Lined pocket was attached to the dress front.

More Info:

In my last version I used piping and buttons to add distinction to the dress.  For this version, I didn't want to do anything that took away from the Magnolia print on this fabric.  I did topstitch everything on this dress.  The pattern suggests it and I used my triple stitch set at a 5 length to get a prominent topstitch. Although since this is a lightweight linen, if you look carefully at the top stitching, it appears almost heirloom stitching like.  

I added a pleather/plastic/pearl button to the area beneath the collar. That button sort of looks like a flower petal. Done because I really liked how the buttons look on the original dress. I have several of these buttons. Have no idea where they came from since it's deep button stash.

A Few Photos:

Finally, a wearability report.  I received quite a few compliments on the dress.  However, this is a lightweight linen that creased ALOT in the wearing.  I think if it had been a more humid day the creases would have fallen out some from the water in the atmosphere.  However, I wore it on a warm, sunny, low humidity day.  Also, because the fabric is pretty sheer, I wore my knit slip underneath so it wouldn't be so transparent when walking in the sun.  I can see this dress looking a little more formal with some heels and different jewelry.  May wear it to church that way.

There are more dresses to be photographed and shared. Taking a week each month this summer and using it as a sewcation has jumpstarted my sewjo.  Also, with the weight loss, I needed a few more summer dresses because my leg and ankle swelling went away. So, I'm adding several dresses with shorter hemlines back into the mix. All old lady problems I know, but I'm grateful to have reached 67 healthy because so many don't.

...as always, more later!

A Resurrection or Simplicity 8875

 Back in June of 2022, I declared this dress dead.

After said declaration, did I trash the dress?  No, I did not.  Instead I stuck it in a drawer with a few other UFOs.  If you've been following me for awhile, you know I didn't use to have UFOs.  I worked that garment until I either got it to fit or it was tossed only if I felt it was unredeemable.  Now, I have a UFO drawer.  Things are there that I'd worked on but just couldn't discard the fabric once the garment was started.

I was rambling in that drawer and came across this dress. I loved this fabric. Had hunted a fabric like it on several websites, finally found this one at StyleMaker Fabrics.  Extensive alterations were done to the pattern pieces to get it to fit my larger body. One of the reasons I abandoned the project was because I didn't like how close-fitting the dress was.  Well I'm a lot smaller these days so I tried it on again. Y'all it now fits like I wanted it to originally.

So, while on my May sewcation, I completed the dress.  Now all of my pattern alterations and observations were recorded on this post. This new post is just to share the finished dress that was finally photographed on me when I worked in the office this week.

A Few Photos:

A little twirl so you can see the movement in the dress

I'm thrilled that I saved this dress but especially thrilled because of the fabric.  My summer dress wardrobe looks so different now than in years past. I'm so happy about that. While I only work in my officetw o days a week, it's nice to have new looks to wear again.

There are a few more completed dresses from my July sewcation that need to be photographed and shared.  As soon as I can arrange more pics they will make their way to the blog.

...as always more later!

OOP McCalls 6117

This will be the beginning of a series of new summer dresses.  This year instead of planning and going on a trip, I opted to take 4 weeks off.  One for every month this summer - one in June, one in July, one in August and one in September. I pledged that I would sew for some of those days.  During the last 2 vacations, I've made 7 new dresses.

My daily schedule was to wake up and sew, stop to cook and eat dinner and then read the evening away.  For the June week - I fiddled around with my Cashmerette t-shirt dress pattern and ended up with three very different t-shirt dresses.  They have yet to be photographed.  But that week I did pattern fittings, handled the fabric, cut and sewed the dresses.  That's why there were only three completed.

For the July vacation, I cut out six garments the week before I went on vacation. It made all the difference in the world.  I was able to just sew a dress from start to finish.  Well I did that with 2 dresses.  The third dress was a little more involved and took 2 days to finish.

Anyway, this post is about the first dress that I completed during the July break.  This out of print McCalls 6117. It was originally distributed in 2010 so I'm reaching back in my pattern stash.  

However, I wanted to make this dress because July has been hot as hades here.  I wanted a pretty, loose fitting dress that was comfortable to wear to work when the temps were in the 90s+.  This pattern achieved that look.

Some details:

Pattern -

McCalls 6117 in a size 24W because this is a very slim fitting straight dress. 

Fabric -

Purchased from fabric dot com back before they went out of business.  Actually have six yards of this fabric because at one point it was going to be a layered maxi dress. Y'all know those dresses were fabric hogs!

Notions -

1 - 22" invisible zipper

1 yard blue satin ribbon

4 beads

26" of 3/8" elastic

Pattern Alterations & Construction:

Pattern alterations needed to be made because  The finished hip measurement was my measurement. The dress needed some wearing ease.  To get it:

• I added 1" to the front side seam blending from below the bust dart down to the hemline.
• A pivot and slide was done to the dress front piece to give me an additional 1.5" at the hipline.
• One inch was added to the dress back side seam.
• One inch was added to the center back of the dress - blending from the waistline down.

My fabric was a 3 yard piece so the very wide sleeve pattern piece did not fit on the fabric.  No matter how I tetris'd it.  I ended up slimming the pattern piece down 2-3" inches on both sides to make it work. I even consulted the cutting guide, which I rarely do, before folding the pattern piece on the sides to make the sleeve work. So, my finished sleeves are not as voluminous as the pattern's photos are.

The other change I made was to add a center back invisible zipper.  While the pattern seems to be wide enough to slip over your head, I'm 67 years old. I like stepping into dresses not battling for my life trying to get it on over my head.

The back facing was also changed from a cut on fold to 2 single pieces that I added a 5/8" seam allowance at the back center seam.

Finally, I hand hemmed the dress because I just didn't want that line of stitching to ruin the dress' finish.

Some photos of the finished dress...

(look at those wrinkles from sitting on the train!)

I cut my hair a little shorter than normal this summer.

This was a simple sew. I was able to finish it in a couple of hours. The blue satin ribbon and beads were added after I finished the dress.  I tried it on and it kept slipping past my bra strap.  So, I added the blue ribbon at the neckline and tied a bow.  Problem solved.

Wearability Report - 

Wearing it all day, I fiddled with the dress constantly pulling on the shoulder seams to cover my bra straps. That was annoying.  The linen also grew with my body warmth so it appeared looser than it did when I initially tried it on. I wanted to make at least one more version of this dress, now I'm not so sure. I have loads of patterns that can be used instead.  I will wear it again - maybe add some bra strap holders that will keep my bra straps in place.

My work colleague took these photos.  I will be at work with her three more days so more finished dresses are coming.

...as always more later!