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‘Dresses’ Category

  1. A Wardrobe Full of Gingham Keeps the Land of Oz away

    December 15, 2011 by ginghamgirl

    Pattern: Bodice from Colette Pattern’s Macaron, altered to be strapless, self drafted half circle skirt
    Fabric: Red and white cotton gingham, from stash, white poly-blend lining, from stash, white polyester boning

    I don’t think I’m the only one who finds the term ‘gingham’ synonymous with Dorothy and her adventures in the Land of Oz (for anyone deprived of a childhood I am referring to the Wizard of Oz). Personally I actually prefer the darker ‘Return to Oz’ with the crazy Wheelers, which gave me nightmares for years and caused an unfortunate aversion to rollerblades. Uh anyway, gingham fabric connotations aside, I made this dress several months ago, but due to living at the bottom of the world, summer has only just reached us.

    I altered the bodice from the Colette Macaron pattern to be strapless, probably not my best move as, without the front and back yokes the dress was still a little low on the sides. I used boning for the first time, not nearly as scary as I had presumed plus I got bragging rights among my non-sewing friends who don’t know how easy it actually is. I drafted a skirt similar to this one but made it longer and err actually my waist size rather than my imaginary size. The bodice is lined in white poly-blend fabric and trimmed with gingham ruffled elastic trim, which I enclosed some self-made bias-tape. I plaited some scrap fabric to make the straps. Which would look great is I wanted it to look super scrappy. I did not.

    But look, loveheart shaped pockets with bows. Much nicer/ridiculously girly. And now I’m off to finish the rather ambitious list of Christmas presents I’ve decided that I *have* to make this year. Plus a dress for Christmas, cos clearly I don’t have enough ; ).

    Have a lovely day, happy sewing, Bry xo

    Category Dresses, Sewing | Tags: ,,,, | 1 Comment

  2. To awkwardly pout or not to, there is no question

    December 1, 2011 by ginghamgirl

    Pattern: Style 2240 (1978), View 2
    Fabric: About 2 metres of cream coloured curtain fabric

    I really do not know what people are supposed to do in photos. It seems I just grab my hemline and hang on for dear life. I also either look down so all you can see is hair or contort my face in ways that can only be described as ‘pouting’. Its not like I mean to, really. I just honestly don’t know what to do with it other than smile or snarl. And a photographer literally had to teach me to smile when I was 10 (apparently twitching my lips and baring my teeth didn’t count, who knew?). Anyway, I digress, who cares about my issues with appropriate photo behaviour, this dress is where this post is at yo.

    You know what the best thing about vintage patterns is? You don’t need to trace off the multiple sizing’s line. God how I LOATHE to trace sizing lines, which I inevitably confuse and instead I end up with a mish mash of shapes that only slightly resemble their intended sizing’s shape. However they are rather good if you’re making something for someone else. Not that I’d ever be that selfless ; ).


    Yes, I am falling off the tree

    This pattern was my Nan’s, as was the fabric. Yay for stash busting. The buttons I bought from an op shop last year. These buttons are so pretty! I have one left which is a bit annoying, not enough to do matching cuffs, and in an attempt to at least look like a grownup, I’m giving the miss-matched buttons look a miss. So it will probably live in my stash lonely and forlorn until I eventually attach it to a brooch or something. The aim here is to feel as guilty as possible about the button until I use it. I would go so far as to ban myself from buying more buttons but COME ON LETS BE REALISTIC.

    I made up view 2, which has pintucks on the front, flared sleeves and button loop closures. This was my first time doing pintucks and I actually pinned the damn things on the wrong side the first time I started doing them. rrRRRrr. This was also my first time at (correctly) installing a ‘pointed open collar’. This pattern called for quite a bit of handsewing, which I found unnecessary. I think that maybe the sleeve would have looked nicer if it had been frenched (done with French seams) instead of machine stitching, then hand turning the raw edge and sewing down. It did however make this a very transportable project, and I was able to finish the sleeves whilst having coffee with my Grandparents. My maternal Grandparents both don’t sew and are always delighted and interested whenever I show them a new project. Secretly I think they’re wondering why I don’t just buy a new dress, but they do always oh and ah over appropriate details so that’s no big deal.

    I omitted the ruffled piece on the bottom of this dress, and had to take in the waist seam slightly. I did that by sewing a pleat on the back, and attaching a button on top to make it less noticeable, and sewing some of the gathers down on the front waist. I also had to add in a tiny pleat at the neckline in order to make the collar fit perfectly. The dress is still a bit gapey, I’m instead going to call it ‘whimsical’, which explains why these photos were taken whilst frolicking in a park with a daisy chain in my hair. I did like this pattern, however if I made it again I would probably make the bodice longer and the waist seam smaller.

    Happy sewing, have a good day Bry xo

    Category Dresses, Sewing | Tags: ,, | No Comments

  3. Muu- Muu- Licious

    November 23, 2011 by ginghamgirl

    Patten: Simplicity 8889 (Printed in 1970)
    Fabric: Black cotton with flowers running down it

    What, a dress that ISN’T too tight? One that allows me to eat as well as breath? Can it be so? Apparently it can, if Simplicity 8889 has anything to do with it.

    I actually made this dress as a wearable muslin to try out this pattern that I found in my Nan’s horde. I want to make a dress in cream and navy silk (finally giving in to the colour block trend) and just wanted to test out the proportions of the princess seams. This is completely different to what I normally wear, it would appear I have an obsession with defining my waist, but I actually rather enjoy the floaty-ness of it. Plus this pattern has my Nan’s handwriting and notes all over it, which is adorable. I love that I’m the same size as all of her patterns and clothes. The best part of that being I don’t have to share with my sisters who aren’t!

    I chopped off quite a bit of the length so I didn’t feel too much like I was wearing a muu-muu, and deepened the neckline slightly. I also omitted the facings and the zipper after doing a ‘Mena Test’ to make sure I could get the thing over my head.

    Clearly I’m going to have to move the bust darts down a bit (sob). Seriously, I’d like to meet the woman in 1970 whose breasts sat this high, obviously she never run for the bus (or even walked fast). Or maybe I’m just ‘low bust challenged’. Despite this, I really like the detailing at the bust, which is visible if you squint really hard.

    The best part of this dress is that everything came from my stash (which qualifies me to do some fabric shopping right ; )? ), it was super dooper quick, and really easy –that is unless you accidently sew the princess seam wrong three times. That’s what I get for deciding to make a dress at 11:30pm apparently. Regardless, horrah, new dress!

    Oh P.S. Please ignore Grug hair in last photo, I really, REALLY need to trim my fringe. It is taking overrrrrrrr! Happy sewing : ) Bry xo

    Category Dresses, Sewing | Tags: ,, | 3 Comments

  4. Wrap Me Up Buttercup

    September 21, 2011 by ginghamgirl

    This dress a) doesn’t need nimble fingers to do up all 8 teeny tiny buttons which of course require ninja moves to reach my hands to and b) has pockets. Viva la wrap dress!

    I made this using another pattern from Colette Pattern, the Crepe, a wrap dress that I made up using some synthetic/polyester/artificial/alien material that was my Nan’s. My father kindly remarked that I look like an advertisement for the Olympics. If this confuses you, you’re not alone.

    This was the first time I’ve used this pattern, and it was more of wearable muslin than anything else. First thing I noticed was that is uses A LOT OF FABRIC. Luckily my Nan always over bought fabric so there was enough to make it, plus I rewarded myself for stash busting with a plate of cookies. Mmm. Next time I think I’d make it a smidge tighter, lower neckline, shorter and a tad cut out from the back pieces to make it lower there too. Oh dear- COVER UP WOMAN.

    It was fun making a dress without any notions or closures (and less swearing at the sewing machine when I run out of thread halfway through making my last buttonhole), and I could see myself making up many a Crepe come summer. Maybe I could try for an Olympic Torch dress.

    Have a good day. Bry xo

    Category Dresses, Sewing | Tags: ,,, | 1 Comment

  5. The Art of Disappearing

    September 5, 2011 by ginghamgirl

    Ah life. Or something like it. Always interrupting me when I have plans to sew. Or when I actually do manage to finish something, disturbing me before I get time to take photos. So, because of life I have many, many things that have been left unfinished (ahh hemming, my old enemy) or not captured on camera (ahem boyfriend, it is very hard for me to try and take photos of myself. The self timer beat me. The self timer ALWAYS WINS), or not blogged (because sadly I do actually have to hand up assignments in order to get a degree).

    This dress was made as part of The Sew Weekly challenge a few (?) weeks ago, ‘Peer Reviewed’ where you take a look from someone else and reinterpret it for yourself. This idea suits me perfectly. I often drag photos from each week’s challenge to my desktop for inspiration so I thought this would be a good opportunity to actually use them. I, of course, forgot my tendency to make things too small for me and set about trying to interpret Sarah’s Colette Parfait jumper from the ‘Kidding Around’ challenge. I somehow missed the point about it having shorts and merrily set about hacking into this blue linen I found in my stash, which I’m fairly sure was a tablecloth in a former life.

    It’s my fault really, I should have taken my time instead of ploughing through to make time for the assignments I have due for uni (which *maybe * should have the priority over sewing…). So a quick whirl of my machine on a rainy Friday night later (missing out on watching True Blood in the lounge with my Boyfriend for the pleasure I might add) and BAM fitting issues. BAM unmatched lines. BAM crazy pockets. I’m not even going to show you what I look like in it. I look that strange. I should have made a muslin, I was going to, but I silenced the voices in my head with the promise of more time to eat chocolate and appreciate Bill Compton’s furrowed brow- uh I mean admire Sookie’s pretty dresses.

    Like Sarah I used a metal zipper. Unlike Sarah I made a potentially unwearable dress. Very annoying as I actually quite like some of the details, like little bows on the pockets and straps (instead of buttons). This fabric is really light too and would have been perfect for summer. Gah. Must. Not. Focus. On. The. Disappointment.

    I could see myself trying again with this pattern; I think the fault lies purely with myself. I, as per usual, went wackity wack with my scissors and rRRrrr rRRrr with my sewing machine without really thinking and as a result the dress is not entirely what I wanted. But that’s what sister’s are for, my eldest sister adores everything I make so I shall gift this on her, and in return earn brownie points which I can cash in to borrow her things ;)

    Have a good day ☺ Bry xo

    Category Dresses, Sewing | Tags: ,, | 1 Comment

  6. Cut a Piece of My Heart Out

    August 9, 2011 by ginghamgirl

    Sometimes I can’t help but admit that I’m a girl. A Girly Girl. One who likes lovehearts. A lot. One might even say I ‘love’ them ;) . So when I saw Chie of the blog Vivat Veritas’s tutorial on adding a heart cut out to a dress I couldn’t wait to try it.

    To really embrace the theme I also drafted a sweetheart neckline bodice with thick straps. It gapes a teensy bit at the armhole BUT JUST DON”T LOOK AND THEN IT DOESN’T EXIST. No really, that’s my logic when it comes to little mistakes (or to playing Hide and Seek). I pleated the centre front and the back two sides with an interesting technique I’d like to call ‘punching my fabric in folds till I think it looks nice’. V couture.

    I unearthed this fabric, which I think is Thai silk, when I was sorting through a box of fabric, and I literally have no idea when I bought this or where from. That is both awesome (yay nice fabric) and frightening (just how much fabric do I actually own?!). I lined the bodice and skirt because the silk was quite light and used a black zipper for the closure. Both were from my stash, so I didn’t have to buy anything for this project. Hoorah for hoarding.

    Thanks for reading Bry xo

    Category Dresses, Sewing | Tags: ,,, | No Comments

  7. The Sailing Blues

    July 31, 2011 by ginghamgirl

    Disclaimer: During this post I plan to use as many sailor puns as I can possibly plunder from the sea.

    Ah this dress. This. Dress. We had some issues. Well I had some issues. Like apparently I’ve forgotten how to cut out a pattern. And that ribbon does not behave like bias tape. And that using 2 meters of cotton drill will look ENORMOUS when pleated. Which will cause a need to re-cut the fabric to make a half -circle skirt. Which you then may cut too small. My captain would have forced me to walk the plank.

    I made this dress as part of The Sew Weekly’s weekly challenge. Every week the site’s creator, Mena Trott sets a theme for sewing. This week’s was nautical. I’ve always wanted to make a Sailor’s dress and this forced me to stop musing on it and hit the decks so to speak. I made my own pattern using my usual measurements, which may have been where my problems began- I did not account for er so much dining at the captain’s table… So this may be a dress I don’t wear until the Australian weather hits and the temperature gets so hot that merely tying a bowline knot breaks a sweat (yes I googled sailing knots) and makes one slick enough to slide into too-tight dresses.

    This dress is a fitted bodice with a button down back, half-circle skirt, a double- ribbon trimmed skirt and collar with front and back facings. I also made a quick bow belt (partly to try and counteract the rather obvious fact that the dress is too small).


    Oh so nauti-cool.

    Thanks for reading, Bry xo

    Category Dresses, Sewing | Tags: | 1 Comment

  8. Flower Power

    July 4, 2011 by ginghamgirl

    After ruining the buttons on my Sencha blouse I had to try again, but ya know, not ruin them this time. Armed with the knowledge that USING INTERFACING MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER I set out to make another dress. Because I believe you can never have enough dresses (and have the overflowing wardrobe to prove it).

    I again used the Dirndl Bodice Pattern from Built By You: Dresses by Wendy Mullin. This pattern has become my bodice sloper, which I have adjusted it to be lower in the front and deeper in the back. For this project I added a Peter Pan collar which dips into angled V’s in the back, which was piped in crotched lace I found (found!) in a scrap pile at a crafternoon I went to last year. I used 8 tiny black buttons on the back to make it SUPER quick and easy to get in and out of. Not. But they are pretty, and really, that’s all that counts.

    I used curtain material that belonged to my Nan for this which was made out of an er interesting polyester/synthetic/ cotton (?) blend print which has silk lines running through it. The material has a nice weight to it without being too bulky for the gathers.

    Pondering the weight of the World

    It is far too cold to wear this lil flower power baby out and about at the moment, but I foresee many wears ahead with its family friendly length. Thankyou to my boyfriend for taking these photos, particularly for trying to make me laugh in order to make me look less like a robot.

    Thankyou for reading ☺.

    Bry xo

    Category Dresses, Sewing | Tags: ,, | 1 Comment

  9. The Big Bad Wolf is coming to get you

    June 17, 2011 by ginghamgirl

     

    I made this dress and red cloak to dress as – wait for it- Little Red Riding Hood (tres original, no?). I was making it for a ‘nursery rhymes and fairytales’ themed 21st and I can now say it was a mistake. If you find yourself invited to a themed party along those lines, don’t dress as Little Red Riding Hood. You’ll thank me when you avoid the scene that greeted me when I walked into the bar the party was being held at.

    Katy Perry or something similarly inane playing in the background. People moving about, hugging, kissing etc. The crowd parts, I look up to see…

    A table full of girls wearing Little Red Riding Hood costumes. A. Full. Table.

    Now, I am not saying that one should always dress differently, but really, who wants to arrive at a party wearing the exact same thing as a dozen other girls (none of which you know)? It is far better to dress as the mother at the start of the fable (obscurity points are always a bonus) then to be referred to as ‘one of the Little Red Riding Hoods’.

    Ahem. Anyway.I made this dress using a basic bodice pattern that I drafted using the Dirndl Bodice pattern from Wendy Mullin, the prolific sewer/designer/writer/all round  good time gal’s book Built By You: Dresses. I ended up extending the shoulder length (because I am a giant), and making it lower in the front, and a deep ‘V’ in the back. The bodice is lined, in lieu of facings, which I really detest, in blue gingham (not a design feature, I just didn’t buy enough fabric but shooosh don’t tell). The skirt is a dirndl- just a rectangle that I pleated (5 in the middle, 2 on either side at the back). I then added a scalloped hem to the front that extends to two points in the back.

    The jacket/cloak was another project that I used Kwik Sew Pattern 1978 for (this time that was slightly less strange). I used this very cheap red poly-cotton that i got for 2 dollars (!) in an op shop. I was going to use some heavier wool but I decided to make this costume at the last minute and this was cheap. TWO DOLLERS I TELL YA. I edited the pattern in the following ways: I extended the front and back lengths again, slashed the bodice in half and made a GIANT hood, which is lined in black and white stripped knit. When in doubt, make something large to cover your face is my motto.

    The worst thing about the party was I wasn’t even cool enough to be in Little Red Riding Hood gang.

    Have a good day, thankyou for reading. Bry xo

    Category Crafts, Dresses, Sewing | Tags: ,,, | 1 Comment

  10. Backless Betty

    June 15, 2011 by ginghamgirl

    I made this dress for last year’s Adelaide Fringe Festival Opening Party. This was one of the first dresses that I have made, and is really simple. That in part is due to my choosing to use Kwik Sew’s Pattern1978- a men’s ‘jogging top’ pattern which I decided to turn into a dress. I’m not sure what exactly my reasoning for choosing this- bragging rights perhaps? Although I’m not sure who I thought would be impressed by my using a men’s top pattern.

     

    Hanging onto dress for dear life

     

    Obviously the jealousy was being reserved for my posing ability. Look at that awkwardness. Breathtaking.

     

    Natural Leg Flick

     

    I edited the pattern by making it longer, shortening the sleeves to elbow length, taking out the ribbing and hood, adding a tie and by making it backless. Er actually that was supposed to be lowcut on the front….but after trying on I realized the ‘oh look here is my bra, I was wondering which one I had worn today, good thing I can see you ENTIRELY’ look was not for me.

     

     

     

    Ok to be honest I actually did wear it that way the first time I made it- albeit with a lace top- on of my first *dates* with my now boyfriend. It was very awkward to say the least. Neither of us knew where to look and I ended up sweating in my denim jacket in attempt to keep my modesty.

     

    Pensive Ground Pose

     

    However that *little* issue has been resolved through choosing to wear the dress backless. Class on the front, party round the back. Thanks to the aforementioned boyfriend, firstly for not judging or laughing at the dress in its original state and secondly for taking these photos (I know you tried to stop the awkwardness, but really, it’s beyond our control).

     

    Have a lovely day, Bry xo

     

     

    Category Crafts, Dresses, Sewing | Tags: ,, | No Comments