In an effort to make more clothes that are elegant yet easy I came up with this pattern hack: B5556 and V8645. The combination of easy sleeves and slip-on design is just what I was looking for.
The material is a fuchsia wool crepe bought from my local fabric store. It's slightly heavy, so it makes this a great 3-season dress. I imagine it will be too warm for summer.
To create The Grace Dress I taped the top of B5556 to the bottom of V8645 and combined curves to make one piece. While constructing the dress I removed some of the ease so I didn't feel swallowed by fabric. Midi length doesn't have to equal too much fabric - neither does maxi, for that matter! This is probably why I subconsciously avoid gathered styles...don't need to add volume. Stress and being overworked does that for me naturally...if you catch my drift. (See also: wobbly bits return when the half marathon is over)
This dress is named for my sister, really just because I only name things after special people. My skirt, the Suanna, is named for my closest friend. Grace, my sister, does have a way of dressing that never looks too fussy, even if you can tell she is well put together. So, in a way, her style was in my mind while making this garment.
I was a little fussy about the finishing of this dress, however. Each seam is either serged or folded over, stitched, and whip-stitched to the dress. This means that even though she wrinkles, she will never have funny seam creases. All facings are also whip-stitched.
The collar was a small labor of love, as I decreased the facing by about 1/16", which helps it roll the right way and prevent it from flipping up at the front of the neckline.
I wore this dress to work the day after I finished it and received plenty of compliments, which always makes for a happy day. It looks best with my nude pumps, so I bit the bullet and wore those to work. Obviously, it was a day that did not require a trek across campus!
Attempts to get photo of a side view were comical with LooCat needing to be part of the process...
She painstakingly crafts her tail to floof like that.
Not joking.
I'll be making either this dress or V8645 again. The low-maintenance vibe is something I can't resist.
Blogging is running behind these days (it feels like I'm ALWAYS saying that). I've had multiple concerts every week - and those are ones I'm performing in, not just attending. It's what I've trained to do, so it's something I can do well. But, it doesn't mean I don't get behind on other parts of my life, like blogging, cleaning, landscaping, cooking, fixing the house, decorating the house, writing on my OTHER blog, making new videos, prepping another arrangement, laying groundwork for a CD/video project, etc.
Needless to say, the Creative Laurels house is ready for the slower pace of summer. :)
A career on an academic schedule packs 12 months of work into 9, especially if you're in the arts. Between teaching and rehearsals and performances, 10-14 hour days on campus aren't rare, even if you're part-time. I love it, though, and it's cool to watch the students grow. But...it also makes me ready for summer. ;)
The material is a fuchsia wool crepe bought from my local fabric store. It's slightly heavy, so it makes this a great 3-season dress. I imagine it will be too warm for summer.
 |
| Thanks to husband for taking pictures after a long day. |
To create The Grace Dress I taped the top of B5556 to the bottom of V8645 and combined curves to make one piece. While constructing the dress I removed some of the ease so I didn't feel swallowed by fabric. Midi length doesn't have to equal too much fabric - neither does maxi, for that matter! This is probably why I subconsciously avoid gathered styles...don't need to add volume. Stress and being overworked does that for me naturally...if you catch my drift. (See also: wobbly bits return when the half marathon is over)
This dress is named for my sister, really just because I only name things after special people. My skirt, the Suanna, is named for my closest friend. Grace, my sister, does have a way of dressing that never looks too fussy, even if you can tell she is well put together. So, in a way, her style was in my mind while making this garment.
I was a little fussy about the finishing of this dress, however. Each seam is either serged or folded over, stitched, and whip-stitched to the dress. This means that even though she wrinkles, she will never have funny seam creases. All facings are also whip-stitched.
The collar was a small labor of love, as I decreased the facing by about 1/16", which helps it roll the right way and prevent it from flipping up at the front of the neckline.
I wore this dress to work the day after I finished it and received plenty of compliments, which always makes for a happy day. It looks best with my nude pumps, so I bit the bullet and wore those to work. Obviously, it was a day that did not require a trek across campus!
Attempts to get photo of a side view were comical with LooCat needing to be part of the process...
She painstakingly crafts her tail to floof like that.
Not joking.
I'll be making either this dress or V8645 again. The low-maintenance vibe is something I can't resist.
Blogging is running behind these days (it feels like I'm ALWAYS saying that). I've had multiple concerts every week - and those are ones I'm performing in, not just attending. It's what I've trained to do, so it's something I can do well. But, it doesn't mean I don't get behind on other parts of my life, like blogging, cleaning, landscaping, cooking, fixing the house, decorating the house, writing on my OTHER blog, making new videos, prepping another arrangement, laying groundwork for a CD/video project, etc.
Needless to say, the Creative Laurels house is ready for the slower pace of summer. :)
A career on an academic schedule packs 12 months of work into 9, especially if you're in the arts. Between teaching and rehearsals and performances, 10-14 hour days on campus aren't rare, even if you're part-time. I love it, though, and it's cool to watch the students grow. But...it also makes me ready for summer. ;)
