… this is Happiness!
It’s Frocktober! A while ago I received my Sewaholic Yaletown pattern in the mail and knew I had to sew it up with my Batic 100% rayon purchased during my shopping trip to Vancouver! My dress is done now, just in time, and I am very pleased with it.
This pattern was very straightforward, a quick dress, and a lovely style! I couldn’t resist cutting out the smaller size bodice though so I could test out my bodice sloper and pattern block. I ended up adding one inch to the front bodice piece on the centre line and a 1/2 inch on the back bodice centre line, to bring it up to my size, so of course I had to add to the front and back neck facings too. I just had to monkey with the pattern, the only way to understand and learn fitting, I figure!
My french curve was perfect for drawing in the extra inch on the curved front facings. And I love my lip edge ruler. The perfect thing for measuring, cutting out fabric, and checking grain lines!
Of yes, before I forget… How can you tell it is time to pack up for the evening? And the answer is:
When you start sewing like this….
I didn’t stray from the pattern instructions…. much… I did put in the waistband elastic a little different. I sewed the bodice and skirt of the dress together at the waist line, then I sewed on to the inside of my skirt (only) a casing to run my elastic through. This made my top more blouson-y. (is that a word?)
(I lay my dress out, focused my camera and found Simon getting really comfortable… what’s new?!)
Another deviation from the instructions, I hemmed up the sleeves with single fold bias tape, to put in some body into the fabric edge. I also hemmed the bottom of my dress with seam binding for the same reason.
I also sewed shut the wrap top before I finished off the bodice. Made good use of my 1/4″ seam foot to sew around the wrap top edge too!
It was raining buckets this morning but by the time I finished sewing the sun came out and dried everything up! No rain! I am happy I can still take advantage of photos in our back yard before the rainy days come again and I am stuck taking photos inside!
So here are my backyard shots of my new hair-do and my new dress! Happiness!
Next project please! And happy sewing to you!
Lovely dress and hairdo! I really like your fabric, perfect for the yaletown dress. and a cat called Simon! he matches perfectly.
Thank you! I love the colour and the feel of it, but it is rayon so the list of care instructions is … Oh boy! Simon and Sophie are always getting into everything… Cats, you know! Thanks for reading and commenting!
The dress turned out lovely!! Great drape for that pattern and of course I love your hair as well 🙂
Thank you! I love the feel of rayon! And the hair… It’s so nice to do something different!
That is such a pretty dress. I blew up the photograph to really look at the material. Are those pansies in the fabric? You pick such lovely material. Good job.
Thank you! You know, the interesting thing about this material is that it is not really anything but big and little blotches of colour! But I invite everyone to use your imagination and see the pansies, if you wish!
Fabric envy!!!!!
I love the colour combinations on this fabric, and rayon is my fav fibre!
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Thank you! I have become quite a fan of it also!
Loved the dress, loved the hair, loved the cat. Well done.
Hahaha, thank you!
I once tried to make a dress very similar to this but some how (think I picked the wrong material) managed to not get the flow like you did in the front. I never thought about using bias tape to add strength in the right places. My dress ended up 1/2 finished in a storage closet with half the pattern pieces still attached until, one day, I finally threw it out. Beautifully done. I think you should have done Simon’s hair too, the new shade would make him look more like his sister.
Ah well, it happens to all of us! We think alike… I tell my husband that I dyed my hair to match Sophie (there is a photo of her here somewhere)! Cat people are a bit crazy! Thanks for reading and commenting!
A very lovely dress! I have yet to make a sewaholic pattern. I have a pant pattern waiting the que. This has inspired me.
Oh! That was interesting. Your comments are stuck in spam!? Thank you for the compliments! And thank you for reading and commenting on my blog! Looking forward to seeing your completed pants.