Easy Breezy Shift Dress - Simplicity 2938 Revisited

After finishing S2692, I felt energized to finish another summer dress. This is a repeat of S2938 made two years ago. This time, I made my usual FBA, no back darts, and added a belt.

I followed the Threads tutorial for making your own bias tape.

Note on the shoes - I really wanted some of those new strappy galdiator sandals to wear with this dress, but didn't find the "right" pair for the "right" price.

The fabric is from JoAnn's which I got on sale for about six bucks per yard. It's floaty, soft with some gloss. I really like to colors in the print and the feel of this fabric.

This dress is easy and a great wardrobe builder. I may make one more this summer.

Coming soon: More dresses, of course; but I really need to finish up the tops and pants that already cut and ready to sew.

Happy Sewing!
C

First Project of the Year - V8594 - Shift or Sheath PTIII

This is one of the dresses that I featured in a blog post "Do You Shift or Sheath" in late summer 2009. It's also the second of three sheath dresses that I planned to make. The third I will make next summer (V1118).

Vogue rates this pattern as easy. But I think it could have been rated average because the dress is fully lined and there are multiple pieces to it, in particular the back of the bodice and skirt.

It's recommended for body figures: inverted triangle and hourglass.

Pattern Description: Misses' Dress: Mid-knee or below mid-calf length, lined dresses A - F have fitted bodice with extended shoulders forming cap sleeves, two neckline variations, princess seam variations and midriff fron, tapered skirt side back seaming details back zipper and slit. A: contrast midriff fron, side back sections and middle skirt back sections. D: purchased flexible trim at neck. Purchased belts.

I made view B.

Pattern Sizing: 9 to 24. I made the muslin size 16. It was too big. So I scaled it back to a size 14 with modifications. Details: neck and shoulders 14; bust 16 with additional FBA; midriff and skirt 14. More on the change below.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? Yes it did.

Were the instructions easy to follow? There is nothing confusing about the instructions. The challenge is in collecting the design lines and making sure the dress fits.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? Everything. I like the look of this dress. It's my favorite silhouette. Nothing to dislike.

Fabric Used: My sewing buddy, Pauline gave me about five yards of this fabric. It feels and looks like a poly blend (suiting)?

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made: Yes. I made a few. Details in this blog post.

I also change the zipper application, inserting a lapped zipper. Truth be told I purchased an invisible zipper, tried to install it with the wacky invisible zipper foot kit (green, blue, red, & white). It kept coming apart; so I ditched the invisible zipper. Is there a better IZFK available? Please let me know...., much appreciated.



Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others? Yes; I plan to make it again in the summer (View D).

Conclusion:
Cute dress that can be worn as jumper (borrowed from EricaB), with a jacket or just by itself. It's not a difficult pattern to sew, but be careful with line up the design lines. I missed it just a little bit on the side of the skirt.




Parting Shot - Me next to my new dress form, a gift from my sister.


Goals are coming. ;-)
Happy Sewing!
C

Do You Shift or Sheath? - Part II V8555 and M5818

Several months ago I blogged several months ago the question: Do you shift or sheath? I received some really great comments from my fellow fashionistas. Personally I like both styles. As I reviewed the garments that I've made over the past three years, the majority of them have been dresses. My goal is to find best fit as I'm two different sizes on top.

Each of us have an unique body shape, but in general we can see how our unique body shape fits into one of the standardized silhouettes. Today while research all things dresses, I stumbled upon Nordstrom's Fit Fundamental videos. Four neat little videos about fit and style.

The Vogue sheath is one of my favorite silhouettes. The black shift is my second dress made from M5818 Palmer Pletsch pattern. This is a great simple classic dress that is versatile and easy to wear. For the fall version I wanted a simple black dress that I could dress up or down. It's made from a nice poly from Hancock's (formal wear section). No additional changes wear made.


Last summer I had planned to plan the jacket as well but didn't get around to it yet. (Still on the "To Sew List".) I'm matching this version up with M5530-View A.

My DD made the perfect necklace to wear with this version.


My reviews are on PR. More pictures are on Flickr.

Do You Shift or Sheath?

Fall! Fall! Fall 2009 Sewing is in the queue!


The shift dress can sometimes be mistaken for the sheath dress. Especially when there is a little more shaping in the waist area. The truth is they produce to very different silhouettes and more or less attention to the waistline.

Shift has no waist shaping or seam. In other words is comfortable to wear, kind to the waistline and very versatile.

Sheath is designed to tightly fit the body. Can be short and sexy.

I like both style of dress. But at times I find myself somewhere in between not wanting the dress to be too tight and a little more shapely than the average shift.

This fall/winter I plan to make two Vogue sheath styled dresses.
Vogue 1118


Vogue 8594


Which do you prefer? The shift or the sheath?