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First indecision, then certainty!

It’s time to show you my finished dress that I started posting about here!  I missed the deadline for The Monthly Stitch, but I was able to enter my dress in Patternreview’s Pattern Stash contest.  Don’t you just love sewing under pressure?

I used an old pattern from my stash – Butterick B4598.  I cannot find it on the Butterick website, it must be old.  I chose the view with the round neckline and the short sleeves, then I took more liberties with the pattern (surprise, surprise).  I didn’t have any linen in my stash so I used a black and white Barcelona (95% polyester and 5% spandex) and a black Ponte de Roma (72% polyester and 28% rayon).  The polyester/rayon didn’t have as much stretch as the polyester/spandex, but they looked well together.

I have gotten into the habit of writing down the name, fabric content and cleaning instructions when I buy fabric.  After spending almost all my life roaming through fabric stores and dragging my hand over the material to decide what I wanted, I am not comfortable with buying on-line.  It’s very difficult to touch the fabric on-line!  So, if I have an idea what a Ponte de Roma (72% polyester and 28% rayon) feels and hangs like because I have bought it before and still have a sample and notes on it, I will be happy to buy something similar on-line in the future!

Fabric.com says: “Ponte knits are “stable” knits, in essence they have a nominal amount of stretching capability. Ponte knits are seasonless and extremely travel friendly, as they resist wrinkles and creases. Because of the stable nature of the fabric, Ponte knits make excellent business attire, separates and coordinates like jackets, pants, skirts and vests.”  I think if I was making a jacket out of a Ponte knit, I would want to line it as it would be rather light on its own.  I found my Ponte knit to be not too stretchy and not too stiff, but just right!

Nice dress! Thanks, I made it!!

I also changed the design up a little bit.  Since I was using a knit and not a linen, I decided not to put in the pleats at the bottom of each seam, but a godet instead.  It was easy to do and the godets hung nicer than pleats would have with this knit.  What is a godet?  Wikipedia says:  “A godet is an extra piece of fabric in the shape of a circular sector which is set into a garment, usually a dress or a skirt.  The addition of a godet causes the article of clothing in question to flare, thus adding width and volume.  Adding a godet to a piece of clothing also gives the wearer a wider range of motion.”  TA DA!

Nice dress! Thanks, I made it!!
Nice dress! Thanks, I made it!!

Sorry I don’t have a twirly photo to show how the dress flares – my husband was in a hurry to take the photo and get back to his dinner!

I shall now continue on with my vacation.  I am having a lovely time.  I have a special blog coming up for you.  I have found my “Happy Place”.  I call it “The Biggest Sewing Room in Canada”.  I think I would like to retire there!

In the meantime, Happy Sewing!

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