Copycats

After double checking the fit of the dress pattern I made from the store bought dress, I made it up in some fancier fabrics!

The first version is a Riley Blake knit, navy with cream colored feathers.

The second dress was made with Art Gallery Fabrics knit, from the Mediterraneo line.  This is the same print I used to make a Wiksten tank earlier this spring, only that was the rayon, this is the knit.  I had originally planned to use it to make a short sleeved Moneta but decided to use this pattern instead.  I purposely placed the lemons on the front bodice piece, being the PinkLemon and all!  (There aren't as many lemons in the print as the photos appear to have.)

I don't think I showed the back view before, but here it is.  There's a reverse box pleat right at the center back of the skirt.  It's hard to see in photos of the darker colors, but this print shows it pretty well.

I used navy thread for both of these so I sewed them up together.  Since I don't have enough cone thread to have the serger and the coverstitch machine threaded at the same time, this made it faster only having to move thread once.  I'm really enjoying having the coverstitch machine and while it's not essential, I love the way I can finish my knits with it.

A Dress

 

A few weeks ago, while Caleb was taking his SAT test, Mickael and I went to the outlet mall.  I found a knit dress at the Columbia shop (yes, the outdoor gear people), and while I didn't bother to try it on at the time, I could tell it would fit, and worst case scenario, I could just wear it around the house.  When I got it home and tried it on IT WAS SO CUTE!  It has enough shape to not look like I'm wearing a sack, or a sleep shirt, but it's loose enough that you can't tell if I just ate an ice cream cone.  Perfect summer dress!  I would have gone back right then and gotten the other colors it came in (I only bought the black) except they were colors I can't wear.  As I was looking at it, I realized it would be simple enough to trace and make my own pattern.

So that's what I did.  Once I had my pattern made and added seam allowances, I cut it out in an inexpensive heather gray cotton stretch knit and it worked!  The original had a shirt-tail hem which I didn't do.  I just did a plain skirt hem, but otherwise it's a pretty exact copy.  Now that I've tested it, I'm ready to make a few in some prints.  Also, I'm ready for ice cream!

I Made Another Dress!

 

Yesterday I cut out a simple knit dress and since I had some time before dinner, I started sewing it together.  By dinner time it was all sewn up and hemmed!  The pattern is McCall's 6886.  I used the shortest length, the scoop neckline, and the short sleeves.  (There are two longer lengths; a crew neck and a v-neck; and both 3/4 length and full length sleeves plus a sleeveless option that can all be mixed and matched.)  It's made in a cotton/spandex (95%/5%) knit from Art Gallery Fabrics.  I have a store bought dress that's very similar to this design so I chose my size based on those measurements. I sewed it completely on my serger and hemmed the neck, sleeves, and lower edge with the coverstitch machine.

I think this will be great for Summer with a cute pair of sandals.  I'll probably make another one or two because while it looks pulled together, this kind of dress feels like pajamas!

Tomorrow there will not be a dress.  There will be something else.

I Made A Dress!

 

Over the weekend I cut out and made this dress!  The pattern is the Moneta Dress by Colette Patterns and I made it in a rayon jersey knit (super soft!).  I made the 3/4 sleeve version (which actually hits at the elbow, but the pattern calls it 3/4 sleeve) because the dark floral looked more fall and winter to me than summer.  I think the narrow sleeve will also work well if I throw a cardigan over the dress also.  I hate having bunchy sleeves inside my cardigans, but I don't think I'll have a problem with this dress.

I love the way the dress came out!  I made the Small size with no adjustments or alterations and it fits perfectly.  I will definitely be making a few more of these.  Did I mention the dress has pockets?  It does!

I was also able to use my new coverstitch machine to hem the dress (neck, sleeves, and lower hem).  It was my first time using it and it worked really well!  I love how professional it makes those hems look.  I hope to be sewing a lot more knits now that I have it, in fact I might be cutting some things out later today!