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!

Simplicity 2894 - An Out of Print Pattern in Denim

Or as a subtitle ~ "How Carolyn Complicates a Simple Pattern!"

This Simplicity pattern has been out of print for awhile.  The first review on PatternReview is from 2008 and it's been on my "To Sew List" every summer since Rachelle made her version. However, it really didn't fit my lifestyle when I purchased the pattern...I just loved the style. 

Fast forward a couple of years and I pulled the pattern out again last summer to make a dress. I had the perfect striped linen for this but summer slipped away from me, again. However, this pattern has lingered in my mind and while it didn't get made in a summery fabric, it was perfect for some mid-weight denim for a new fall dress.

Of course I never do anything simple so I had to manipulate the stripes for added interest and I added a white piping to the collar and front opening to bring some definition to it.

Let's talk materials ~
The fabric is a midweight striped denim purchased from Fabric Mart earlier this year.  Since you don't need buttons or a zipper for this dress, the notions I used to make my version of this dress are:

• purchased white corded piping from Daytona Trimmings
• baby white interfacing from Farmhouse Fabrics via the notions stash
• three 1" white & clear buttons from the collection 

Construction details ~
I really wanted to mix up the stripes on this dress. Since the yokes are separate pieces, I cut the yokes on the lengthwise grain instead of the horizontal grain like the body of the dress. What I didn't count on was the difference in color shading that occurred when the two pieces were sewn together. When it was all said and done, I was fine with the color shading because it's a casual denim dress.

I added piping to the collar to bring out the white in the stripes. I went back and forth over whether I should add interfacing to the collar and the front because the denim is fairly heavy and I wondered if the interfacing would add anything to it.  Finally decided on using a baby fusible interfacing that I purchased from Farmhouse Fabrics for the collar and front piece. It stabilizes the piece without adding additional weight to them.

After I added piping to the collar, I decided that I needed some on the front opening too.  So *sigh* I added piping there too. What an ordeal...I was gonna say challenge but I added a couple of hours work to a simple dress adding piping in the front of the dress...and was on pins and needles while I was doing it hoping that it would work the way I wanted it to...breathing a huge sigh of relief when it did work!

The last change I made to the dress was after taking the time to match the pocket stripes to the dress front, I decided to add piping and a large white button to the pockets. Why not just leave them be? I mean they would have been fine but they wouldn't have popped...and I wanted the "pop" appeal for the dress.

Topstitching was the last decorative element that I added to the dress. It's on the yokes - front & back, at the hemline and on the pockets. Again I used the triple stitch with a length setting of 5 on my Janome 8900 QCP.

Can I state yet again what a challenging sew this was. Honestly, I took a very simple pattern and I added a whole bunch of design elements to it. Yes, the design elements did elevate the finished dress, but getting there was a pain!

A few pictures of the finished dress ~

Conclusion ~
I'm glad that I made the dress, it's such an easy and casual wear. I'm glad that I waited to use this pattern because this is the right time for it. I'm also glad that I love the dress now that it's finished! LOL! This was definitely a one and done pattern. As cool as it is and as thrilled as I am to add another denim dress to my wardrobe...I won't be making another one of these.  I'm moving onto my next fall garment.

Finally, it seems like it's become a thing for my daughter to take pictures of me with the grandbabies while they're here...so I'm ending this post with two pics that I liked of the babies and me...

Me and Joshua

Me and all three (Aleena, Samantha and Joshua) walking together

...as always more later!