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24.10.11

here's one I prepared earlier...

How often do we sewers lament that we didn't finish off something properly, because we were still sewing up hems the moment before wearing the garment out of the house?  Well, I had the opposite problem here.  This dress languished in my sewing room, just waiting for ties and the binding to be completed because I had nowhere to wear it.  We had an unseasonably long winter up here, so even once it was finished, it sat in the wardrobe for a long time.  Finally, last week, it got its first outing. 

The pattern is a frankenpattern of  Vogue 8631 and Vogue 8684.  I made a muslin of Vogue 8631 last year and asked for feedback...some of you suggested that it made me look too wide...sadly, it is not the dress making me look wide, that would be my wide bottom making me look wide.  However, I do accept that the dress was not disguising my wideness, and much as I love an oversized top, they do hide the petite bits of me that trick people into thinking that I am not a wide person.  So I ditched the kimono sleeves and bodged the raglan sleeve and sideseam shaping from Vogue 8684, whilst retaining the wrap and pleating from 8631.  In truth, this has saved me from fretting over the unused pattern 8684, which I love, but has a drop waist, which is equally unflattering on me.


The black and white fabric was a silk from my stash.  I had bought it thinking I needed to up the neutrals in my wardrobe.  My sister was rifling through my stash and declared that she didn't like it, because it reminded her of corporate uniforms.  That sounded like a challenge to me, so I immediately took it from the stash and got to work.  The sleeve fabric is left-overs from this dress.  I quite like the clashing combination of fabrics, although my children are not so convinced.  My elder son, who has a bit of an eye for fashion, thinks it would have worked if the brown bits of the sleeve print were black.

So, bodgy patterns, bodgy fabric choice, all brought together to make a dress that I absolutely love.  I think it looks better in real life than the photos, and it feels gorgeous to wear, all silky and drapy.  Perfect for spring.

10 comments:

  1. Sewingelle24 October 2011 at 20:54

    I love it when this sort of thing happens: unlikely combinations that turn out wonderful! You look great and the dress is fabulous.

    Yeah, yeah, perhaps your son is right about black in the dress and brown in the sleeves, but has he looked at RTW and fashion magazines lately? I think only home sewists obsess so much about perfect matches. The rest of the world goes for pleasing overall results, and you have nailed it here.

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  2. Mary Nanna25 October 2011 at 00:00

    Very nice - it looks great. I guess things are hotting up where you live then? We wouldn't be able to swan around in something so ethereal just yet.

    There is a designer here in NZ (Annah Stretton) who uses mis-matched sleeves, and both sides of the wrap would be different pieces too, and it would be reversible with different fabrics inside... it's amazing how all the pieces still create a coherent look.

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  3. Gail25 October 2011 at 00:26

    Frankenpattern! that's great. Love the dress. There is nothing corporate uniform about it. I agree that with Mary Nanna that it is reminiscent of Annah Stretton.

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  4. MushyWear25 October 2011 at 00:29

    I gotta say I think the dress looks great. I'm not sure I would have thought to pair such different prints, but it works! Enjoy wearing it.

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  5. Mae25 October 2011 at 03:14

    I love your dress. I had a look at your muslin 8684, and I thought it was gorgeous and you looked gorgeous in it- and it was just a muslin! Spotlight has some very lovely rayon voile right now. It feels and sews like rayon charmeuse, yum yum and perfect for a tropical summer. I think 8684 in that fabric would be lovely.

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  6. Amanda S.25 October 2011 at 06:22

    Very nice!

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  7. Audrey25 October 2011 at 09:23

    Ah, the opinions of family members... I like this dress a lot, especially the mix of prints. And it looks really good on you.

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  8. passiona25 October 2011 at 12:04

    I LOVE the shoulders! And the dress.

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  9. kbenco26 October 2011 at 03:11

    How clever to turn slightly dubious components into a wild success. This looks like a terrific hot weather dress. I love the pleating detail and the wrap, and the mix of prints look fresh and interesting - a party dress maybe? I am thinking about end of year things.

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  10. Anonymous27 October 2011 at 02:56

    Don't we all love a frankenpattern? And the dress looks great - take no notice of family criticism. Wish I had some warmth (we are just sliding into winter here in the UK and this morning is cold and damp. Yuck.)

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