Completed Project: Waves Print Dress

This was a relatively speedy project for me! The total time spent cutting out and constructing was a little over 2 hours....because I didn't have to construct or hem the skirt!

I used an early 1980s pattern for the bodice, which is made from black ponte knit (the best knit fabric in the whole wide world to work with, by the way!). It has puff petal sleeves and I added a white embroidered floral collar to brighten up the bodice. The skirt is actually an upcycled vintage 1980s rayon skirt that I thrifted a while back. I love the crazy squiggly waves print and the bright primary colors! Altogether, a quite satisfying project for a very time-strapped person like myself!

Completed Project: 1970s Floral Brushstroke Dress

Here it is: my first completed sewing project of the year! I used Butterick #4393 (a 1970s Jane Tise young designer pattern) to make this dress which has a shaped yokes, a casual, flared silhouette and 3/4 length puffy sleeves.

I was originally going to make the blouse, but I decided to make the dress since my wardrobe is severely lacking in them. For the yokes, collar, front tab and cuffs, I used grey cotton shirting from Jo-Ann's. The sleeves and body are made from lovely vintage 1960s floral brushstroke print cotton fabric that I found at a local thrift store for a mere $2.00! I used a fabric-covered button for the front buttoned tab.

Although it has a pretty unstructured fit, this was quite complicated to make, mainly due to the self-lined yokes, puffy sleeves (TONS of gathering), side seam pockets and topstitching. The construction put many of my sewing skills to good use.

Here is a scan of the pattern - it is definitely a keeper!

Finished Project: 1970s Chambray Dress

Here's the first completed projected from my whittled down sewing pattern collection: a denim chambray dress with contrasting yellow stitching and buttons! The total cost of materials, including the vintage pattern, was around $12.00. The 100% cotton fabric is quite wrinkled in the photos; I've been wearing the dress all day and it's super-comfy!

Now for the truth......I don't know what to think about this dress just yet! It was easy enough to sew (although the front placket and collar band gave me some minor troubles) and it's insanely comfortable to wear, I'm just not sure if I like the "tubular" shape or the side slits or the curved hem. I don't think the tubular shape is particularly flattering for someone like me who has a curvier figure. A belt will probably solve the fit issues, though. Oh! And here's my next project:

I'll be making view A (without the bow, though) and will use the plaid cotton fabric pictured above; the contrasting yellow fabric will be the collar. Hopefully I'll have it finished by this time next week!