Thursday, January 10, 2013

Project Run and Play Party Dress Remix

Why hello! It's been a while. I've missed posting on this little blog. 

Life is finally settling down in our little household. Thankfully. 

And what that means is I have some free time to whittle away at my fabric stash. : )  Project Run and Play has started up again and I plan on sewing along for a few of the challenges. 

This week's challenge is to remix Lindsey of the Cottage Home's The Party Dress Pattern.  

This is a GREAT basic pattern.  With a little creativity you can do so much with a basic pattern like this.  I almost sewed up a plaid coat with the pattern but opted to go for this Brocade dress instead (Winters just aren't long enough in Texas!), and my oh my I'm so glad that I did.  I'll get to that coat soon enough... maybe.
                                            
The fabric is a brocade-type purchased from Joann's (purchased for around $10 with a coupon). It has a lovely aqua blue hue with gorgeous gold running through it.  It is a little itchy so I opted to line the whole thing with a light weight cotton.  I must admit, when I purchased this fabric from Joann's a few months ago, I told the lady at the cutting counter I was making a dress for my Little One. She looked at me and then looked at the fabric and said, "I hope it will be a costume."  I quickly and ashamedly lied and said it was indeed for a costume of sorts (no judging! haha!).  I did doubt my fabric choice for a while so in my fabric stash this sat for quite a while.  : )

The truth was as soon as I laid eyes on that fabric I knew it was destined for a short and sweet party dress.  So when PR&P had this challenge it gave me a great chance to sew the design I had in mind and to use that darn fabric. I love the finished product and so does the Little One. 

For those of you who care, I have detailed the changes I did to Lindsey's pattern to make this sweet little number.

I wanted a shorter waistline and a lower neckline then what Lindsey's pattern called for so I just shortened the bodice pieces and used a bowl to trace a larger neckline.


Lindsey's dress pattern is a sleeveless pattern, but I felt this design really needed short sleeves.  So I drafted some sleeves and sew that to the bodice pieces.


Because the fabric is so busy and ornate, I wanted a very simple narrow sash in the front that would widen to make a nice bow in the back.  I also attached the sash to the front of the bodice.  It was a pretty simple change from Lindsey's original pattern.

Also, for the buttons I decided to not use her technique for button holes. I will use that in the future, but for this dress simple was better.


The only other change was that on all my seams I used flat felled seams which gave this dress a professional finish from the inside out. 

That's it. : )  A party dress for the Little One, thank you to Lindsey from the Cottage Home, you rock!





Loves,
Amber

10 comments:

  1. This is absolutely adorable! Love the little photo shoot, too! :)

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  2. Can I just say that fabric is fab? Love it!

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  3. It's beautiful! Sometimes simple is best. :)

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  4. That fabric is awesome, and totally appropriate for this gorgeous dress!!! I just love seeing all these kids so happy in their new outfits, your daughter is BEAMING!!! (*and I kept wanting to do a jacket too - but kept nixing my jacket designs, I'll save them for next year when she is walking and can get more use out of them ;op)

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  5. Such happy photos of a beautiful little girl in a beautiful dress! Well done on the design.

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  6. Lovely fabric, gorgeous dress. Did you use less fabric in the skirt then the origional pattern?

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  7. The dress is beautiful and the addition of the small sleeves was perfect. Your daughter must feel like a princess in this dress. This is one she will remember all her life!

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  8. amazing! someday sewing will happen for me again. today is not that day. *sigh*

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  9. that dress screams party. I'm drooling over the fabric

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