I bought this embroidered gingham border print from Chic Fabrics last November.
One day at work I was doodling during a meeting, combining this fabric and the Dover Jacket and dreamed up what I thought would be an amazing maxi dress. I have to admit that the final dress is somewhat different than what I imagined.
The dress I'd imagined had scallops at the hemlines of the dress and sleeves. Since I did not take my 8900 to Sew Camp and was working on my 6600P I just couldn't get the scallops long and thick enough to work. After fiddling with it for a few hours, I called it quits. I couldn't make my design idea come to life on the equipment I was using. Maybe if I'd been home I would have come up with another idea but I really wanted to bring home finished garments so I added a triple stitch to the hemlines of the dress and sleeves.
Supplies ~
3 yards of fabric from Chic Fabrics
Red Piping from Joyce Trimmings
10 - 7/8" flat red buttons also from Joyce Trimmings
1 black covered snap from Pacific Trimmings
Pattern Alterations/Construction/Sewing ~
When I cut this out I flipped the border print which was only on one side of the fabric and used it for the top of the dress. All pieces were cut side by side to insure that the border print went all the way around the top of the dress.
I made two alterations to the pattern to get this maxidress.
1. I shortened the sleeves to elbow length
2. I lengthened the skirt body to make it maxi length
Except for the scallop samples I made and having to handstitch the piping down (none of my sewing machine feet worked and I had to borrow another camper's sewing machine to get the piping and facing on my dress), the construction was pretty simple. Nothing any different from the construction on a normal Dover jacket.
I made buttonholes all the way down the front except at the top because it would have been in the middle of the embroidery. I really didn't want to disturb the embroidery, so I added a snap to the inside and sewed a button on the front. I'm glad I was able to leave the embroidery alone and not cut into it.
BTW, I have no construction pictures because it was made during Sew Camp.
A Few Pictures of the Maxidress ~
This pattern is just as comfortable as a maxidress as it is a jacket! I took it for a test run to the grocery store and it was an easy wearing, comfortable dress. Just what I'm looking for this summer. If I can, I will make another one before the summer ends and the only change I would make is to add some inseam pockets.
...as always more later!
