Cocoon Dress No. 2

Cocoon dress no. 2. I had more ambitious plans for this fabric, my sewing time, and December in general. This dress is so easy it kind of made itself, and I just let it happen. L wears her quilted heart version all the time. It is a sweatshirt, it is a dress, it is an effortless outfit all in one simple piece. In December when holidays and everything associated with them  just sort of suck you in, it is good to keep something simple. This dress is simple.

I wish I could remember where I got this fabric. It is probably from a local discount store, but I'm not sure. It is a cotton french terry. It's my first time sewing with french terry and it is much more delicate than sweatshirt fleece, but seems a bit nicer to wear. I went with the same long sleeve and banded neck modifications as last time. I will certainly make this pattern as directed at some point, but I am happy with this snugger version for now. It's made even snugger by L's instance on wearing her heartwarmer (and sometimes all 3 of them at once) as a scarf like a big kid. I promise you it was not that cold on the day we took these photos, but a little extra hand knit never hurt anyone.

***

Credits:

Dress Pattern: Cocoon Dress by Groovy Baby and Mama

Dress Fabric: Cotton French Terry

Dress Accent: Jersey Knit

Scarf Pattern: Bless Your Heartwarmer by SweetKM

Scarf Yarn: Creative Focus in Lavender Heather by Rowan Yarn

Chambray Dot Franklin Dress

A little something for Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma's house: the Franklin Dress from Brooklyn Pattern Company. I've had my eye on this dress since it was first released last year. Its very similar to a dress I made from a vintage pattern a few years ago, but that pattern only had one size. I love the classic lines, but never found the time to try to size up the pattern. Now I don't have to. Erin generously gave me a copy when we met in Philly a few months ago.

I have been hoarding this fabric for a long time. I bought it two summers ago at Homemade while on one of those extended family vacations where aunts, in-laws, and cousins all share the same house. Luckily, my extended family (my husband's actually) likes to fabric shop. I think we've perused every scrap of fabric on the Jersey Shore. Homemade is one of our annual stops, and it just keeps getting better. 

Pattern: Franklin Dress from Brooklyn Pattern Company. This pattern has puffed, 3/4 length sleeves with a kid friendly elastic edge. The yoke can button at the front or back. I chose the front buttons so L could dress herself. There are on seam side pockets, so L can carry home all the lucky pennies she finds on the sidewalk. 

Fabric: Robert Kaufman Chambray Union Dot. I love this fabric, and have thought it too precious to cut into for some time. It's silly really, because you can still buy it. It is the perfect print for this dress, but I fear it is a bit light weight to hold up to little girl wear and tear. I don't like the kids to have to be to careful of their clothes, and the first time L wore it the velcro on her coat snagged some of the dots. might have to save this for special occasions until after the holidays.

Size/Fit: Based on L's measurements I made a size six. It fits with room to grow. 

I added some navy blue piping at the edge of the front and back yoke. The buttons are a vintage mix-match from my stash. I like the look, but I love that I didn't have to leave the house for more buttons. 

***

Pattern: Franklin Dress from Brooklyn Pattern Company

Dress Fabric: Robert Kaufman Chambray Union Dot from Homemade
Ridiculous Red Boots that somehow go with everything: Old West Boots

The Long Summer Sundress

We are spending our summer in the trendiest fashion: unplugged. It's not the result of any Spartan personal improvement plan, it's just what we do. Because there are at least 47 hashtags associated with it, I thought it was worth mentioning.

We spend our summers at my parent's farm in Central PA. If you're not from there, you never will have heard of it, and if you've never heard of it you've got no business being there. In an attempt to keep my wild place wild, I'll be a bit ambiguous with the exact location. We stay in a perfect little cottage at the farm. Perfect because my parents are not the type to tinker with history. Also perfect because my husband worked very hard to shine up it's few assets, and to keep little creatures and the elements out. One of my favorite things about this place is its complete lack of amenities. With no distractions we can savor every second of our fleeting summer, giving my little family a taste of the long summers I remember from childhood. There is only enough cell service to refresh my Instagram feed once every 3 days, and never enough to take a cellphone call. We are too cheap to pay for a proper internet connection, and wouldn't because it would be in direct conflict with our number one summer objective: to give our children the natural resources to entertain themselves, and no choice but to use them.

All that to say, I don't sew much in the summer. I have a few projects up my sleeve to dole out over the summer months. It also explains the pastoral backdrop of this meticulously stripped barn door (not our barn). It is exactly the setting I envisioned for this Long Summer Sundress, adorned only with bare feet.

I made a printed version of this dress last year, then promptly cut the above version out. The days got away from me, and it never made its way to the top of my must-sew list before I had moved on to crisp fall layers. The first version was envisioned as a two-year dress, in the spirit of a frontier girl letting out the tucks in the hem of her dress as she grew. The adjustable straps, elastic back, and length allow this dress to grow with the child. L loves any dress that "drips the floor" and wants to wear it every chance she gets. Proper photos were in order before it met with a locally grown strawberry, and raw milk yogurt popsicle (cause that's how we roll in the country, also on trend) and was stained for good.

PATTERN: Self-drafted. Made previously in a bold print for KCW last summer. And his dress perfectly coincides with KCW this summer! This dress is basically a series of rectangles gathered, and sewn, and layered into what reminds me of summer in the late 70's. Not that I remember the late 70's, but photo albums tell the story of me in tiered eyelet ruffles, with a daisy on there somewhere. The long ruffled skirt allows for a lot of layering and length variations. I'm not sure I'm finished sewing with this design, I'd love to make one where the lining peeps out, or the bottom ruffle is on the lining rather than the skirt.

FABRIC: Robert Kaufman Chambray Union Light 1.75 oz. (link to similar). It is featherweight and rather shear. I love the fabric's whispy nature, and tendency to retain its volume when gathered. Used in two layers it works just fine for garments. I used unbleached linen for the lining of the top tier of the dress. When you catch the ruffle in the right light the transparency adds some depth to the garment.

The Long Summer Sundress is made for bare feet.

***

I've entered this dress in the Bernina Stitchin' Summer Contest on Kollabora. I would love it if you'd head on over to Kollabora and heart this project.

***

Dress No. 1

Every so often I get a feeling that I've read the entire internet. Like everything is one more blog blitz of the t-shirt du jour barely distinguishable from yesterday's t-shirt du jour and I'm just incredibly bored by the whole thing (though very grateful for the wide selection of t-shirts). Just in the nick of time along comes the Have Company sew along using the 100 Acts of Sewing Dress No. 1 by Sonya Philip. Two weeks ago I didn't know what any of those thing were. Like a breath of virtual fresh air sweeping across my interweb browser Have Company brought the lovely 100 Acts of Sewing pattern line into my life. 100 Acts of Sewing patterns are only available in print. It's been 100 years since I've sewn with a real physical pattern. The hand of the maker is so clearly visible in the simply improvised packaging, and concise format of the pattern and instructions. If sewing alone in a spare bedroom can ever be a communal experience, this was.

 I really thought I was going to look like a sorry sack of potatoes in this dress.  Where are all the bells and whistles? How could something so simple possibly turn out well? I'm a less is more kind of girl, but I know that less usually costs a whole lot more because it's more work to make something with so few elements look good. This dress has no where to hide. As I was sewing I was schemeing about belts and tie strings and a strategically placed hand-on-hip to photograph a dress that I would never wear.

Knucklehead! This dress is awesome.

The Dress No. 1 pattern is a single piece, plus a pocket. The front and back are the same piece, and there are instructions that show how to make the neck shape whatever you want. I shaved about 1/4" off of mine, and added a tiny scrap of Liberty to the back neck in lieu of a tag. The side shaping is fitted at the bust, straight-ish to the waist and full on flared to the hem. The simple construction makes this a really quick sew. Seemed like the perfect opportunity to learn french seams, and I'm glad I did. You can hide half baked seam finishing with ruffles and puffs. I wanted this to look as perfect inside as out. Again with the simplicity thing.

I wore my beloved linen Alder a ton last fall, but I worry that the ghost of Emily Post might stop me in the street and give me a stern reprimand for a seasonal fabric faux pas. This is my go-to light weight denim from Joann in the darkest wash. It's the right price, always available locally, and has a sturdy drape perfect for this dress. There is just enough room for a t-shirt layer under No. 1, so I can wear it with as many layers of tights and boots as I can stand in the winter, and gradually peel off the layers as the weather warms. The depth of the arm hole doesn't allow a speck of bra to show, so I'll wear it in the summer too. I didn't want to distract from the elemental form of this dress so I centered the pockets on the side seam rather than putting them on the front. 

Pertinent info:
Pattern: Dress No. 1 by 100 Acts of Sewing
Fabric: Light Weight Denim from Joann Fabric
For more sewing inspiration: #hcdressalong #100actsofsewing on instagram

Finally, a little something for Selfish Sewing Week. Are you sewing along? Kollabora entry here.

STYLO Restyled : 5 & 10 Design Vo. 1 Dress

For Stylo I wanted a dress that felt a bit like outerwear, and could act as the equivalent piece to the quilted vest in the little boy look. I also wanted inset sleeves, and a ton of very short volume. I settled on the 5 & 10 Designs Vol. 1 Dress. The original look came with all the parts and pieces for Gretel's trail, but will be worn much more simply as L's Christmas dress.

PATTERN: I requested this pattern for the sizing, and didn't really concern myself with the instructions. The versatility is the beauty of a simple pattern like this. I altered the pattern to accommodate buttons along the entire length of the back.  I didn't line the bodice as directed, just used a flannel facing at the cuffs and neck opening. I also used the bonus sleeve pattern piece and added flannel lined pockets stolen from the Oliver + S Playtime Dress. 

FABRIC: This is positively dreamy cotton/linen blend from Michael Levin. If I had had my wits about me yesterday I would have ordered more on sale. This would be perfect for an Alder Dress, its got a nice drape but reasonably substantial weight.

SIZE/FIT: I cut a 6, to allow for maximum boxiness at the waist, and volume in the skirt. I think this pattern runs a little small, because it is still fairly tight in the sleeves. 

I wanted the Stylo look to be scandalously short. But the scandalous length wasn't really practical for real world wear. With a 3 inch hem I got the look I wanted but still had the fabric left to lengthen the dress later. When I dropped the hem, I also added a button to the bottom. Those few tweaks, some red tights, and candle light service worthy maryjanes, and L is ready for Christmas Eve. 

***

More STYLO Restyled

***

Charcoal Lady Skater Hack

Remember selfish sewing week? When I started making this dress I THOUGHT I was getting a head start on selfish sewing (hysterical laughter). Truth is all of my recent sewing, and the focused satisfaction it brings me, feels entirely selfish these days, even when the finished product is meant for the kids. Its seems superfluous to layer on a few things made for me, but I can't resist the siren song of the internet, beaconing me to another group sewing event, even if I've missed said event by a mile.

I have been obsessed with making a knit, gathered waist, long sleeve dress since seeing it in a random Etsy motivational email. It was worn by a random Etsy employee in hunter green. So trite, so new, so my thing. She was sitting down, it was not fashion centric shot, but I was smitten. In fact, when I first saw it I hadn't sewn seriously for myself in years. I like to think my quest to own that dress (without actually shopping for it) is what got me sewing for myself again.  

More than a year later, I have a passable copy of that dress. I'm calling this a Lady Skater hack, because I started with the Kitschy Coo Lady Skater bodice. There were a lot of changes along the way. I chopped a good deal off of the length, and straightened out the curved waist. I lengthened the sleeves to be long without the addition of cuffs, and made the neckline higher and wider (and more what this flat chested lady likes to wear). Learning from my past mistakes  imperfections I made a straight 6, and added pockets (without pockets where do I keep my phone, without my phone how do I check instagram the time). The skirt is my much loved Self Drafted Midi Skirt from a few months ago. Same everything, just tacked onto the bodice rather than a waistband.

The deep charcoal gray heather fabric is a cotton jersey from Mood, it seems far to resilient to be 100% cotton, though I bought it so long ago I can't remember. It's perfect for this dress. My last Lady Skater shrunk like a son of a gun (making it fit better, bonus!), so I'm going to try to keep this one out of the dryer.

I am going to wear the crap out of this dress. It's comfy, it's practical, it can be layered with a thousand different things, and I don't think I own a pair of shoes that wouldn't look good with it. I'm going to get out my fattest sharpie, and cross this thing off of my must-sew list.

There, now I can move on.

Field Trip Raglan Dress with Thumbhole Cuffs

This girl has been growing a lot lately. It seems that her dresses become tunics before she gets to wear them twice. She is in desperate need of easy wearing play clothes and separates. I had some grander KCW plans in mind, but when it came down to sewing or fabric shopping, I decided to stay home and make something. As mentioned in the pervious post, I've had cozy long underwear-ish t-shirts on the brain lately. I had base layers in mind when I first started experimenting, but then I saw Ute's amazing tunic with thumbhole sleeves. Of course! Why isolate the coziness on a base layer when you can have it on every layer!?!

This is the Oliver + S Field Trip Raglan T-Shirt pattern. I added about 12" to the length. I also added 2" of width at the bottom of each side seam, then connected that point to the corner of the arm opening side seam to get a simple A line dress. Of course, the thumbhole sleeves were part of the research for the last post (how to make thumbhole sleeves). This is the size 5. L can wear a 4, but I wanted some room to grow, and there's plenty.

This crazy big print is some sort of cotton blend knit from my mother in law's stash. I think it's a print you either love or hate, and I'm not sure which side I'm on. I've been saving it for long enough that I must at least like it. There is certainly no chance it will go unnoticed. The arms and neck band are charcoal heather jersey knit. I wish I could remember where I bought it, I would get a whole lot more. Its got a subtle haylo of soft fuz that makes it extra snuggly. 

***

Linking to:

Kid's Clothes Week

Frontier Dreams
Straight Grain

***

KCW Day 7: Self Drafted Girl's Maxi Sundress

Squeaking in just under the Kid's Clothes Week wire a self drafted maxi sun dress. I actually sewed this on Friday, then I stuffed it in the call with my essential worldly possessions and headed for the country, thus the photos on the wide open prairie (or something like that). 

I have a (probably unnecessary) aversion to elastic thread. For some (probably unfounded) reason it seem like a cheap trick, or cheating, to me. I have the (probably unjustified) feeling that it won’t hold up. As if my 4 year old who has grown 2 inches since February is going to fit in something I sew for longer than the elastic thread will hold up?! Just the same, I prefer some old school elastic in a casing.

There are many, many cute sundresses out there in the vein of what I wanted for this fabric, but most of them use the (probably harmless) objectionable elastic thread. So I made up my mind to draft my own pattern. It’s such a simple dress, I can draft it in a giffy, I won’t make a muslin, I’ll just cut into it. Then I saw Tasha’s Hummingbird (of Glitter & Wit) and my conviction wavered a little. It’s more or less what I wanted, and used elastic in a casing, and her’s is so seriously adorable (I want that fabric Tasha!). I could drop a mere 7 bucks on a pattern and get this thing finished before lunch, or I could draft my own and be up all night sewing in the semi darkness of the kid’s room adjacent sewing room hoping the whole time that what I’m sewing will actually fit. Hmmm, yeah. I’ll take the latter. It’s KCW after all and I want to stretch my skills just a little bit.

PATTERN: Self drafted based on a dress I saw at Target. It was like $14 and totally worth the time it would have saved, but again, its not about saving time now, is it? The actual bodice is based on the hi/lo dress I made L for Easter. This is a basic sundress an elastic back, gathered skirt, and dust ruffle (do you only call it that on a bed, it sure looks like this ruffle would kick up some dust) at the bottom.  I added hidden loops just inside the back so the straps can be tied behind the neck, or strung through the loops and crossed. I went with a maxi length because I like the drama. I imagine it will prove to be woefully impractical. How’s a girl supposed to climb, run, and roll in the dirt, with all that fabric billowing around her legs. Her current favorite skirt is a floor length, harvest themed, way too big, hand me down, peasant skirt, and she does just fine in it. Post KCW hemming isn't out of the question.

FABRIC: I got this light weight cotton voile from IndianBeautiful Art, and have already made a Tiny Pocket Tank with it. Why shouldn’t mama and preschooler match every once in a while. That’s not weird…it's weird isn't it?

FIT: I made this to L’s measurements plus a little for growth. It is already the end of July after all, and it would be awesome if she could still wear it next summer, maybe as a midi length.

I wanted this dress to be an effortless summer staple. Something easy to wear. It is, but it turned out to be a bit less childlike than I intended. I think raising the hem 2 inches, so little toes are actually peeking out, will take care of that. I'm hoping to revisit this pattern before our family beach week with another version and a few tweaks. If I get to it, you'll be the first to know. She can run like the wind in this floor length gown, so its not all bad.

linking to KCW here.

linking to KCCO here.

Notes on a Grainline Hemlock Dress

I hate to call this a hack because I don't love that word. Its sounds severe, and I've only made the gentlest of changes. I used the FREE!! Grainline Hemlock Tee pattern as a starting point for this dress. When I'm agonizing over which patterns to buy, one key point for judging whether the pattern is worth my money is versatility. Evidence of other sewists altering it to suit their needs, means I will have tons of ways (and examples) of things I can make with it. The Mad Housewife went with a more structured waist, which I really like, and I wear that style a ton in the summer, but I was too lazy even to sew in an elastic waist. I went more along the same lines as Stewart Allen's version, and just lengthened the hem. The only real figuring was how to finish the neck and arm openings after I had changed them. Cut Cut Sew simply turned them under, but I wasn't sure that would work for this uber drapy fabric. Otherwise, its a pretty straight forward Hemlock, minus a few details. 

PATTERN: Grainline Hemlock Tee. Made before here. I like the loose, unstructured fit, and thought the off shoulder sleeve would make a nice dress. 

FABRIC: Rayon Polyester Spandex from Joann, I can't find it online. I have been obsessively shopping for fabric on the old inter web. There are so many great prints and fabrics available from India (have you already seen this place?) and Japan, but it takes SOOOOOOO long to get to my mailbox. After a grocery run, I impulse bought this fabric, just to have something to sew. Not a resounding endorsement, its just a whole lot of print for this country girl. I really like to look at it, time will tell if I really like to wear it.

FIT: It fits more of less just as I wanted. I love the casual, unstructured design, especially, dressed up with fancy-ish shoes (which I will probably never leave the house in). Truth be told, the belt is holding the whole thing together, which is okay in my book. 

ALTERATIONS: This patterns is very nearly 4 rectangles sewn together, making it very easy to alter. Here is what I did-

Omitted sleeves.

Made the arm hole 1" smaller.

Increased hem length 5.5"

Moved neck opening 1" out toward the shoulder on each side.

Made neck opening 1" higher in the front.

Omitted neck band.
Made 2" facing pieces for the arms and neck. Attached neck facing to the neck opening before sewing the shoulder seams. Sewed it as an extension of the shoulder seam, then folded it under. Attached the arm facing before sewing the side seam. Sewed it as an extension of the side seam then folded it under. Top stitched the shoulder and side seam the entire length, to secure the facing in place.

You know me, lounging around the house in heels, playing the piano, and arranging fresh flowers. Just another Wednesday.

This project on Kollabora.

***
Have you signed up for Kid's Clothes Week yet? More on that, this Friday.