Sewing Friends, Marriage, and Flamingos

This is Ashley, blogger of Craft Sanctuary, and me, at the rehearsal dinner for her wedding this past July :) We like to tell people we met online. Which is true - thanks to the online sewing/blogosphere. When she moved to Chicago in February of 2014, we met up in person and have been super sewing friends ever since! Who would have guessed that two years later I would be attending her gorgeous wedding :)

Okay, anyways, back to the flamingo dress! I whipped this thing out in an HOUR - of course, the day of the rehearsal dinner. As you do. I had a dress already for the big day, but wanted to sew something to wear for my sewing friend's wedding festivities, and last minute, I had this flamingo epiphany!

This flamingo poly-crepe from Blackbird Fabrics had been sitting in my stash for awhile - it was sheer enough that it needed lined. My epiphany was that this dress pattern - McCall's 7405 - would be a snap to line, and the unstructured shape would be perfect for the drape of the fabric! And I could definitely sew it in an hour... right?

After cutting out the pieces, I stitched the lining to the main fabric along the armholes, which gave a nice finish. I then stitched the side seams and hemmed the lining and main fabric separately, serged the necklines together, folded over to make the casing for the neck-tie, topstitched, and pulled the neck-tie through. One hour. Done.

Pattern: McCall's 7405 -  Misses' Gathered-Neckline Dresses with Ties

Fabric: Flamingo print poly-crepe from Blackbird Fabrics (no longer available)

Sizing: Size 12 - fit is adjustable thanks to the ties, but I could probably have made a 10. I feel like McCall's patterns run large in the shoulders/arms.

The dress pattern comes with a pattern for your own tie belt, but I already had this awesome flamingo pink belt in my closet. The dress is also quite cute without a belt, especially in the hot summer, but I will almost always belt it as I like a defined waist.

So there you have it! The saga of the flamingo dress I made in an hour to wear to Ashley's rehearsal dinner. That crazed hour of sewing (and Josh saying "seriously... you're going to finish this before we have to leave?) was all made worth it when, at the rehearsal dinner, Ashley's Grandma came up to me and said "You must be Ashley's sewing friend - that fabric is so her!" :) :) :)

❤ Sally

Gray Bow Chambray Southport

Hello there! Today I have a Southport dress (pattern by True Bias) made up in a gray chambray with white bows and dots (Gertie fabric at Joann's). This dress has been my summer uniform - as I'm sure it is for many other seamstresses - especially in a cool cotton fabric.

This dress is the second in my backlog of summer sewing projects, officially sewn around 4th of July - finished instagram photo here. Originally I was going to use this fabric for my sleeveless Sureau dress (evidence on IG) but the idea of the gray chambray as a casual Southport quickly took over :)

Pattern: Southport dress by True Bias

Fabric: Gray Bow Chambray by Gertie from Joanns (no longer available online - may be in the red tag clearance section in store)

Sizing: Size 6 bodice, with 1.5" FBA and 2" added length - For skirt, I cut the largest size at hips and graded to size 6 at waist

Overall this was a fairly simple dress to make. Look twice at the directions for the bias tape at the neckline - it was not my typical method so I had to do some unpicking, but I really like the finish. Oh! And my buttons are sewn straight through both button plackets - no button holes necessary - as this dress easily pulls on and I was feeling lazy ;)

When was a time you took a "seamstress only knows" shortcut in sewing a garment? Let me know in the comments below, and thanks for reading!

❤ Sally

Sleeveless Sureau Dress

Hello friends! Welcome to my back-log of summer sewing projects :) I decided to take some quick photos and try to post these garments before the "official" end of the summer (Sept 21st). Sorry in advance for clogging up your blog reader! (Not sorry, actually - I'm so proud of myself ;) At the end I will do a quick post on how I took all the photos for these posts in a 60 minute session with just me, my point-and-shoot camera and tripod, and a sunny sewing room!

First up, a sleeveless Sureau dress. The fabric is a lightweight cotton with tiny stripes from Joann's, purchased a couple years ago - YAY sewing from the STASH! :) It is very lightweight and cool - perfect for summer! But also wrinkle happy - ah well. I love the details of this dress, especially the gathers and buttons on the bodice.

Pattern: Deer and Doe Sureau dress, sleeveless variation (*using old pattern - see below for adjustments)

Sizing: 40 at bust/waist - cut larger skirt to fit hips :)

Notes: 

- Pinched out a 3/8" wedge from neckline on each side to prevent gaping
- Took in 5/8" at side seam under arms, grading back to size 40 at waistline
- Took 1" off armscye at shoulder
- Lengthened the bodice by 1" - could still add more length
- Lapped zipper at side seam
- Interfaced button band
- Finished arm-holes with bias tape
- Added slash pockets, using Belladone pattern pieces - I love pockets but didn't think it through that the lapped zipper seam would make one pocket smaller than the other.

Yes, there were a lot of alterations to get it to fit just right, but it turned out to be a much more wearable version than my first attempt :) And I think the Sureau re-release has fixed some of the fit issues as well, and added a variation drafted to be sleeveless!

I have the bodice of a Centaurée sewn up in this fabric as well! I want to make a peplum top, but I can't decide what to use for the straps? A solid color or the same stripey fabric? What are your thoughts?

From my Instagram... two years ago :( Lol

Stay tuned for more summer sewing! And thanks for reading :)

❤ Sally