Flutter Sleeve Wrap Dress - McCall's 7406

Happy SPRING! As soon as it gets warm, I feel the sewing mojo returning :) I think it's my love for pretty prints and dresses, which don't come out as often in the cold winter months. I am excited to share my most recent sewing adventure: a flutter sleeve, wrap dress in a beautiful rayon challis print! I made it to wear on Easter :)

Fabric: Rayon Challis, Bungalow - Dahlia print in Lavender by Joel Dewberry

This beautiful fabric has been in my stash for at least a couple years. I love the satisfaction that comes with pairing an old, loved fabric with a sudden pattern/design inspiration and seeing how it turns out!

EPIC SLEEVE!!! :) 

Pattern: McCall's 7406 - Wrap Dress, View A with flutter sleeves

Pattern Adjustments:
- Size 12 bust, size 10 at shoulders/armscye, size 14 waist
- Added 2" length
- Slash and spread skirt portion of dress to add width at the hips - needed more room there, and liked the style of a more flared skirt
- Added side seam pockets :)

Construction Notes:
- Very simple pattern! No closures, zippers, or buttonholes to worry about
- The instructions don't really mention how to finish the seams. I finished mine with a serger. I think a beginner pattern should include this important step!
- This did not fit me like it appeared on the envelope - the front appears to meet and close above the bust, and the skirt falls straight. On me, it was extremely gape-y and loose at the top when I tried to close it as pictured - there seemed to be a lot of extra fabric between the bust and the waist. I decided to wear it more open at the top, with a cami underneath. I actually like this look better! With the tie belt and loose sleeves, it almost feels like a kimono dress, which goes perfectly with the floral print :)

The Verdict: I love how it turned out, despite the fit issues - the fabric really makes this dress pop! Can't wait to wear for more special occasions through the spring and summer :)

What's on your spring sewing list? Do you find your sewing mojo returns with the warmer weather? Or are you a super-sewist who can go year round no problemo? Lol. Thanks for reading!

❤ Sally

P.S. I have purple hair now! :)

Santa Fe Tie-Dye Dress and Striped Tee

Helllooooo friends! Finally blogging my last two summer sewing projects, made from the same pattern:

Hey June Handmade's Santa Fe Top

First up, a knit midi dress in this groovy blue tie-dye print.  You may have seen it it on Instagram here or here! (technically also here, but in it's starting state ;)

This dress is so comfy and swingy it makes me want to dance! This blue/teal rayon spandex knit from Joann's is a little outside my normal style, but when I saw it I knew I wanted a tank dress out of it!
I also knew I wanted to wear it to school and therefore it should have a modest neckline (surprisingly hard to find on tank sewing patterns) and that is what led me to the Santa Fe Top pattern by Hey June Handmade.

To create the dress, I simply added a gathered skirt with an elastic waist casing to the sleeveless top - View A - which I cut on the fold instead of having a center seam. Originally it was maxi length, but I felt overwhelmed by the print so I cut it off to make a midi-length (oooh...trendy ;) *More visible in the instagram photos

My second project with this pattern was a striped tee in a bold black and ivory stripe rayon knit. This is view C of the pattern, without the center seam (cut on the fold). It is also very comfortable to wear, although the flowy silhouette is not as flattering from the side when you are more than a B cup ;)

My absolute favorite thing about this pattern is that it introduced me to knit neck bindings, as opposed to neck bands. The difference is that a neck binding folds over the entire neckline from underneath, completely encasing the seam allowance and helping the neckline to lay flat. It is a super clean finish inside and out. After making these two garments this way, I may never go back to bands again!

The only disappointment with this top is the fabric - after two wears it is already pilling like crazy. I am pretty sure I got it at Joann's, but I can't find a link. Are there any good tells of fabric quality (other than the price tag) before buying a knit like this??? Have any of your favorite sewing projects ever been ruined by bad fabric? Commiserate with me in the comments below! Lol - and thanks for reading!

❤ Sally

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