One Pattern, Three Dresses

I guess I was busy last week! In just a few days, I managed to make these three variations on one dress pattern. I couldn't stop thinking about the perfect summery simplicity of this dress, so I decided to draft a pattern of my own. It ended up being easier than I expected and I'm a little obsessed with the result! The first floral version was my "wearable muslin" (well, kind of---it's actually really see-through so I have to wear something underneath) because I needed to make sure the dress actually fit without ruining my nicer fabric. Then I made a "real" version with this amazing Ikat fabric.

After completely failing to find something to wear to a wedding last Saturday, I decided to make a third version out of an airy silk. I was really attracted to this turquoise crepe de chine at the fabric store, which is weird because I usually avoid bright colors. (Also - I couldn't find that perfect dusty pink I was looking for). At the last minute, I decided to change up the pattern a bit and pleated the skirt instead of gathering it. I was hoping for a leaner, more elegant look. The dress turned out nicely (except for the fact that it kept wrinkling a little more every time I sat down--oh well!). I still want to make more versions of this pattern because it's so comfortable! Maybe stripes next?

New Dress Project

This week I whipped up a last-minute dress for a wedding tomorrow. I have the hardest time finding something to wear to fancy events! Maybe I'm just too picky, but I never seem to be able to find exactly what I want when I actually need it. And, after looking at so many pricey + poorly made dresses, I decided I would be much better off making something simple myself. I picked a pretty turquoise crepe de chine that's so light and airy. I'll share pictures soon!

Summer Sample Sale!

My Etsy shop is now open with a small selection of handmade items for summer! Most pieces are one-of-a-kind  samples available at one size only. The dyed dresses, skirt, and blouse are all results of my dyeing experiments this spring. It was exciting to dye each piece because the colors and patterns were pretty unpredictable. I really love the results, though. I may decide to make more dresses...possibly with a few tweaks to the pattern. It's a very labor-intensive process! Visit the shop to check out the pieces. 

Hello Summer

Summer is in full swing and I'm taking advantage of this hot and lazy weekend to get back into this blog! It's been a whirlwind summer so far with weekend beach travels, BBQ's, and, of course, lots of sewing projects. I love this breezy dress I recently made with the lightest silk fabric. I've been a little obsessed with triangles recently and I loved this fabric as soon as I saw it. Coincidentally, I noticed Vain and Vapid also spotted the same fabric and turned it into this lovely dress! I have a few more yards and would like to make a couple more dresses for my Etsy shop. I've got plans to reopen the shop with a handful of samples I made over the spring and summer. Keep your eyes peeled!

Inspiration: Ermie

ERMIE Shift Dresses in Fire Season and Fragment Prints

Today I discovered a new textile designer to love on the wikstenmade blog: Ermie by Jennifer Parry Dodge. Her work really taps in to so many things I'm interested in right now---abstract, geometric prints, tie dyeing, unexpected colors. I would love a simple shift dress in one of these prints! I think my favorite is this Fragment Print dress. I am very, very tempted to treat myself to some of the fabric available in her shop (it's on sale!). There are also quite a few handmade dresses, skirts, and other garments available. I'm very curious to see what new things will come for spring and summer! 

Fragment Print by Ermie

  

ERMIE Bokeh Print Shirt Dress and ERMIE Shift Dress

Spring Preview

I wanted to take a moment to show one of the things I've been hard at work on. This is the second garment I've sewn that I've also subjected to bleach dyeing experiments. I just love this fabric---it's super soft and silky and when soaked in a bit of bleach it turns from a murky brownish green to a beautiful shade of pink. I was intrigued by the idea of spraying the bleach to a create a different texture. This one fades into delicate splattered spots. 

In my free time, I've been working on a couple more that I hope to finish up this weekend. More photos and updates coming soon!

Pants

Blouse: Thrifted

Pants: Thrifted

Belt: Thrifted
Boots: Chelsea Crew

Necklace: Made by me

I managed to tear myself away from my sewing machine this afternoon to throw on some red lipstick and take a quick outfit photo. Some days I find myself wishing for the perfect pair of pants, especially when a pair of tights can't stand up to the winter wind. I found these a few months ago at a thrift store and I really like them. I tried on an endless number of pairs before I could find one that fit even a little bit. I go through the same hassle at real stores, too, and lately I've had no luck finding the right pair. I've got my eye on something like this or this. I want a simple, straight-leg paint in something other than khaki or black! Surprisingly difficult to find. I've even thought about sewing my own pair, but finding the right pattern would be a whole other issue. For now, I will keep searching. 

And, of course, this post would not be complete without a couple of cat outtakes...