September 14, 2015

The last dress of summer...

It seems like I do this every time: I tend to sew for the weather it is, not for what's just around the corner. So, when the seasons change, I often end up making one last garment which ends up being stashed away until the next year.
This may be one of those.


I drafted the pattern and started sewing before I went on holiday but only finished it last week.
And as usual, I'm not very worried about it. This is the kind of dress I've liked for a while and I think I'll continue to like it. It's a 1950's look with short kimono sleeves and slim skirt with a wide bit at the back. The sleeves have underarm gussets. The skirt has small pleats and slant pockets at the front. At center back seam, I cut it to flare out and to have gathers between the usual positions of the back darts. The front has a small overlap (with a snap to prevent gaping) and sashes which are inserted into the side seams and wrap around to tie in a bow at the back. 

I made it from a fabric I've had in my stash for a while. It's black cotton with white dots woven in. The material is nice but a bit tricky to work with. At the wrong side, there are long lines of loose white thread between those dots. It's very easy to get something like a ring caught in these. Which, of course, could cause trouble...

I managed to make it work though. Then, I wasn't quite so sure about the look. I usually sew with plain fabrics. Or with stripes or plaid. And sometimes with bold, graphic prints. I was wondering if these dots might just be a bit twee. 
In the end, I think it's OK. It was one of my reasons for this combination. A slim 1950's silhouette doesn't end up looking cute quite so easily. 

At the moment, it's still warm enough for a dress like this, so I think I can still wear it at least once this year.


6 comments:

  1. I love this dress! And I don't think the fabric is too twee at all, it really suits the shape of the dress!

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  2. Very elegant!
    I do the same thing regarding sewing out of season. I get totally mixed up working two seasons ahead and sewing a season behind!

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  3. Very beautiful dress, nice shoes!

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  4. Ah, polka dots. Very fine work, nice gloves!

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  5. It's very cute, and I love the combination of polkadots and classy cut! I think it would transition well into fall with some tights and a cardigan---but obviously you will wear it however is comfortable for you. ;)

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