Seriously, it’s been a HOT summer. No rainfall the whole month of July, not a shower or drizzle. The temperatures are supposed to get up to 33 C (91.4 F) this week! It’s a good thing I took the opportunity to run outside today and take my blog photos – I think I will be hiding inside with the fan or an air conditioner the rest of the week!
Let me tell you about my “Tower Dress”. I love that name. I’ve named my dress after one of my favourite prints – called a “Tower” print, 92% polyester, 8% spandex. I love how the odd white leaf POPS out at you.
For my Tower Dress I used this McCall’s pattern, M6503, view B. It has fold back facings for a collar and a wrap bodice. I can’t wait to try some of the other bodice versions. The only pattern changes I made were to omit the side zipper (mine’s made from a knit fabric), lower the waistband about an inch (I’m not fond of high waisted garments), sew shut the wrap bodice (I find them to be a bother), and add piping (my new fetish!). I think this type of dress is available from lots of pattern makers, including the Indie pattern producers.
Cutting out my traced pieces almost ended in a few choice @#$& words. Luckily I only cut out one piece before stopping to check whether the flowers would be running in the same direction on all pieces. So I only had to re-cut one piece and I had lots of fabric left to do it. I had purchased enough for a full dress and a top.
I stabilized the seams of this knit fabric with seam tape.
I also stabilized the hem of the skirt with iron on interfacing, serged the edge, turned it up an inch and hemmed it with my sewing machine. The skirt is quite full and the hem way-down-there so I didn’t mind using my sewing machine to sew it up.
Here’s a close-up of my collar choice (can you tell I sewed shut the wrap bodice?) and my piping (love piping) on the collar edge and sleeve hems. I attached thin shoulder pads too. This fabric is so soft and comfortable I wanted to add a bit of shape to the shoulders. The thin shoulder pads did the trick! Look there are a few white leaves POPPING out at you! This is probably the most true to colour photograph in this lot. The background has a shade of pink to it that is difficult to catch.
Put your shades on now! It’s time to go outside!
Even with my “cutting mistake” I managed to salvage enough of this lovely fabric to make a top – as I had originally planned. I hope to be able to share it with you next week, so, in the meantime …
Happy Sewing!
43 Responses to “… future’s so bright I gotta wear shades!”
Thanks for joining the Top of the World Style linkup party with your awesome outfit. This dress looks awesome. The fabric is such a classic. You’ll have this dress for years!
Thank you Nicole! Every now and then the stars align, just like every now and then my sewing aligns with your Linkup Party! 😃👍
And I must add – Thank you for hosting!
Great looking dress. The piping detail is such a beautiful detail and gives this the dress the wow factor. And of course: it suits you well.
Thank you! I do like this fabric. I wonder if I could find more, perhaps in a different print or colour!
Hello. Yes, I’m the caboose in your comments My somewhat different schedule has left me flustered As you mentioned about heat, that’s not helping. The print of your Tower dress is so pretty and the piping around the collar is gorgeous. That piping just adds a little pizzaz but it doesn’t take away from the print. You created a lovely dress. 😊
No worries! Life is busy for all of us! Comments are welcome anytime – even if you might be the last! Thank you for your lovely comments. I haven’t finished with this fabric and piping yet… there is one more garment to come!
What beautiful fabric. I love our use of piping. It really makes the pattern pop out, especially those white leaves. Your dress is gorgeous. Xx
Thank you! I managed enough leftover for a top. So doubly happy!
Loving your tower dress Linda! I’m glad you realised the direction of the print early on – phew!
Thank you! Yes, I’m always happy to make mistakes that I catch!!
Oooh, this came out great. I think the piping takes it up a notch and it looks more classy, less party dress. I was wondering which neckline you were going to chose. I’m still leaning towards restrained ruffles. I’m memorized by the white leaf unexpectedly popping out. I’m going to have to Google Tower fabric as I don’t know what that means. And, it’s been hot here too. Rather lovely outside, but in my apartment with west facing windows and no AC… 😨😱😲
Thanks! I want to do another option now too! I like this pattern. I was talking about the “Tower” name with another commentator and we couldn’t figure out why it was called Tower, unless it was an error. An autocorrect type of thing for “Flower”. You can’t get an answer from Google on it! What are we going to do about this heat, huh?
Lovely dress in a fab fabric – loving the piping! I think I’m going to take your lead and spend the next week sitting next to a fan… It’s going to be 35C here 🙁
Thank you! Oh no! 35C! I feel your pain! Where is this hot weather coming from? 😂