The 30th Birthday Dress (Butterick 5882/Gertie Shelf Bust Dress)

The 30th Birthday Dress (Butterick 5882/Gertie Shelf Bust Dress)

I enjoy booze of all kinds.

I made my deadline, and completed Butterick 5882 on Saturday, moments before walking out the door! If I’m being honest…I’m still not completely pleased with the dress, but…it’s my birthday so I’m giving myself a pass πŸ˜‰

Buzzed posing in a public place

I made some alterations to this pattern. I added my usual pockets, and I changed the bodice. I lowered the boned portion and curved it along the bust. If I could do it again, I would lower it a full two more inches, it STILL sat too high for my taste. I really wanted something that sat under my bust, where the underwire of a bra hits. I also altered the cups, to compensate for lowering the shelf, by adding two more rows of pleats. For me, the cups go too far up toward my shoulders, I would change that a bit if I made this garment again. I cut a size 12, and it was just a bit too big. In the future, I would cut a 10. This is a Gertie pattern, and for some reason I ALWAYS have fit issues with her patterns :/

High bust cups and gaping.
High bust cups and gaping.

The main fabric is also from Gertie’s collection, with the bodice cups and straps just being a black quilting cotton. I lined it with some kind of polyester “lining” fabric, this dress uses a ton of fabric, so I felt like using cotton lining would make it just too heavy. The fabrics were a dream to sew, and the lining felt amazing on the skin, staying cool even in the muggy Ohio summer.

I dunno why I can't stand up straight like a normal person.
I dunno why I can’t stand up straight like a normal person.

I did an invisible zip, because those give me the least amount of trouble! All of my seams were serged, with the hem just being serged and turned up. All and all, the dress is far from perfect but it worked for the occasion! Definite party dress vibes! Happy sewing πŸ™‚

McCall’s 7119, Part Two

McCall’s 7119, Part Two

Hello all!!! Β I’m putting the finishing touches on my birthday dress, it looks like I’ll make the deadline! Β In the meantime, I wanted to share the second dress I made for maxi dress sew along. Β It is basically the same version ofΒ  McCall’s 7119 that I made for myself, with some minor changes.

Oh hey Amanda!
Oh hey Amanda!

My friend Amanda lives in Maryland, so there was no opportunity for fitting before I made this. Since it’s a wrap dress, the fit is pretty forgiving, but I do wish I could fix the way it sticks out near her shoulder. For her version, I added about 6 inches to length, because she is an Amazon, that lucky girl! I also used a knit for this dress, instead of the woven that the pattern calls for. Having made this pattern before, I wasn’t too worried about any problems there, though it is probably causing the bodice issue.

Teeny waist!
Teeny waist!

To finish the hem, I just did a rolled hem with my serger. It’s a casual dress and I just like the girl touch it gives it. Plus…I fucking hate doing hems. I did try somewhat to match the stripes, but I didn’t agonize over it. Overall, I’m happy with it. Bring it with you next time you come in, Amanda, I’ll fix your bodice! Happy sewing πŸ™‚

The Tulip Dress (McCall’s 6956)

The Tulip Dress (McCall’s 6956)

Oh hey, more awkward posing.
Oh hey, more awkward posing.

Have you ever had a dress that looks great in the mirror, but in pictures, makes you look like a lumpy ham? That is this dress for me. I swear, I thought it was flattering. Whatever, I’m still going to wear the hell out of it anyway!!

Pretending to be interested in grass.
Pretending to be interested in grass.

The pattern is McCall’s 6956, and the fabric is some random Robert Kaufman tulip quilting cotton I’ve had for ages. I opted for version B of the pattern, with the a/b cup sizing. I love a good strapless dress, but I hate pulling up my dress all night. Since this dress has tons of boning, you actually DON’T have to do that, it kinda stays up on it’s own. I added cups, just for extra stability, and I also added some ruching to the bodice, just to help adjust the fitting a bit. Other than that, it pretty much fit straight out of the package.

Close up bodice detailing, kinda.
Close up bodice detailing, kinda.

Top is fully lined, while the skirt is unlined. With that, boning, and the heavier weight cotton, the dress still felt cool and comfortable, even in yesterday’s heat. The boning gave me a bit of grief, but that could have just been me misinterpreting the instructions. As I understood them, the boning was to extend past the pleating, which was a headache. I decided to just end it at the pleating, and from there it was smooth sailing. I left off the bottom band on the skirt, only because it made no sense with my fabric pattern.

This is where I almost fell down.  Smooth.
This is where I almost fell down. Smooth.

Honestly, I love a well fitted dress and I think I’ll wear this one quite a bit, even if it has reminded me to lose 20 pounds πŸ˜‰ It’s such a fun party dress! I hope all your summer sewing is going well, happy sewing πŸ™‚

The Maxi Sewalong Dress (McCall’s 7119)

The Maxi Sewalong Dress (McCall’s 7119)

I can't explain all the weird faces in this post.
I can’t explain all the weird faces in this post.

I hope everyone had a fabulous July fourth!!! I got to enjoy mine with a few friends and some beers. And my maxi dress challenge wrap dress! The pattern is McCall’s 7119 and it was an absolute breeze to sew.

Oh look, more weird hand stuff.
Oh look, more weird hand stuff.

Since I was out with friends and enjoying some adult beverages, my picture quality is a little lacking, for that I apologize. I’m not sure what happened to my hair, either, because I swear I started out the day with cute, curly hair.

Cute hair selfies from earlier in the day.
Cute hair selfies from earlier in the day.

Back to the dress. I used a mystery fabric from a Joann clearance sale. I think based on the way it wrinkles and a burn test, it’s a cotton or cotton blend? No stretch at all, though I did make a knit version for my friend Amanda, which is coming to the blog soon! I sized the pattern down and cut a 10, and the fit is pretty perfect. I added Saltspring pockets, because always pockets. Turns out, Lladybird uses the same trick, glad I’m not the only one who is pro-additional pockets. I also added two inches to the length, which works out great with wedges. This is a true wrap dress, so…beware of strong breezes and make sure you wear full underwear, if you want to avoid a wardrobe malfunction!

Photobombs!
Photobombs!

I really, really love the way this bodice fits. The cut is absolutely perfect, and once tied properly, it fits well and stays in place. The pattern instructions were clear and simple, I actually followed them, for once. Though it is a full length dress, it’s comfortable and cool, even on a hot summer day. It’s also a pretty quick sew, which I clearly love. If I had time, I would for sure sew the shorter version of this, but I have 283749387 planned to sew currently πŸ™ If you haven’t selected a maxi dress pattern yet, I’d recommend this one. It really lives up to it’s “easy” label.

I have one last picture for you, which I present to you without comment…as there are no words for what my friends are wearing. Sometimes, it’s just fun to let loose and be ridiculous πŸ˜‰ Happy sewing! πŸ™‚

IMG_3517

Tbt: The Philadelphia Dress (Sewaholic Saltspring)

Tbt: The Philadelphia Dress (Sewaholic Saltspring)

This post has terrible photography.  I'm sorry.
This post has terrible photography. I’m sorry.

Let me tell you a short tale of a girl and a concert. Last year, I saw on Instagram that two of my favorite bands (Jimmy Eat World and The Gaslight Anthem) would be doing a limited amount of shows together. Noticing that one of these shows was in Philadelphia, I immediately purchased two tickets. Here’s a fun fact: Philadelphia is not 4 hours away from Cincinnati (that would be Pittsburgh), it is NINE FUCKING HOURS AWAY! That’s fun to find out after making a commitment πŸ˜• However, my friend Kendra is a trooper and agreed to make this voyage with me.

Thanks Kendra!
Thanks Kendra!

Since I knew I’d be walking around/driving a lot on this trip, I wanted something comfortable. Enter the Sewaholic Saltspring. I had sewn this up with Amy shortly before that, I think in one day. I always find Sewaholic patterns easy to sew, the instructions are great. I opted for the shorter version, but the longer version would be great too (especially if you were doing a maxi dress challenge hint hint wink wink nudge nudge). The fabric was from the Joann “silky prints” sale, even though it’s clearly not silky at all! My best guess is that it’s a crepe de chine?

Scandalous statues!
Scandalous statues!

I added a belt to the dress, because I just like a more accented waist. I still wear this dress all the time, so I think it’s definitely work a make. Also…driving nine hours for a concert is definitely worth it, do it!!!

Unrelated, but I’m finally getting this Bloglovin thing together, so follow my blog with Bloglovin Happy sewing πŸ™‚