My first step in fixing my wardrobe problem was to buy a couple of dresses.
I’ve never been a dress wearer, but I can’t stand things that are tight around my waist, and I thought a loose dress might be comfortable AND look batter than my sad yoga pants/tank top/cardigan uniform.
I was right! The loose dresses I bought are super comfy. I’ve been layering them up all winter, and I’m looking forward to a cool, breezy summer in them.
My next step was to make my own dress. I fully intended to trace this purple dress.
But then I got sidetracked by an Instagram video for this dress from Sewing Therapy.
It’s pretty clever, with ties in the front and back so you can tie the dress multiple ways. Go to the listing and watch the videos and you’ll see.
So I bought the pattern and made one!
I… don’t love it. I want to love it! But I just don’t.
The ties are cool, but they kind of annoy me when I’m wearing it, and I don’t think I really want the slight waist shaping. The sleeves are ok, but I wish they were longer, and just a touch narrower (especially at the armholes) so they’ll fit better under my kimono-style jackets (some of the very few things I already own that I actually like).
The construction is BRILLIANT, with a clever technique that leaves nice, clean finished edges with no fuss or binding. The instructions are GREAT, with videos showing the whole process. A beginner can definitely make this.
The thing I really don’t like is the neckline. Because of the way the dress hangs from the shoulders, the neck spreads much wider than I like. Also, I really like to wear scarves, and it’s crazy annoying to have bare neck between the bottom of the scarf and the top of the back neckline. 🙁
These are things that will not be dealbreakers for most people, but for me they are. I’ll be tracing that purple dress soon so I can try to duplicate it. 🤞🏻
But before I move on, I have to show you the applique I added to this dress – because that was a huge win!
I made the dress out of a dark blue linen blend – fine, but kind of boring. That’s the perfect recipe for adding a little fancification!
I decided to applique Sullivan Snail and the simplest of the Wild Flowers all around the bottom of the dress.
The dress looks gray here, but it’s actually dark blue. I photographed it in a really bright light so you’d be able to see the stitching as clearly as possible.
I’m thrilled with how they look! I’ve worn and washed this a number of times, and the applique has held up really well.
Instead of using quilting cotton, I used fabric from a stack of t-shirts I bought at the thrift store. I just wanted to try something a little different! By using t-shirt fabric I’m eliminating any fraying (knits don’t fray) and if the edges curl up a bit, it’s the same color on the back so it doesn’t matter.
I did my usual three rounds of all the outline stitching, but I did it in matching or slightly contrasting thread instead of black. Right-click on that image to open it in a new tab and you can really zoom in for a close-up.
The only thing I’d change is to make the snail a little smaller. Just a little. 🙂
So, all in all this project gets mixed results.
The dress pattern was well-designed and sewed up easily, but ultimately the shape isn’t for me. It’s fine and I’ll keep wearing it! It’s just not my favorite.
The applique gets an A+. I’ll definitely be doing more of that, on lots of different projects. I’m designing some things right now to applique on a men’s sports coat I thrifted, and Jo’s working on some appliqued t-shirts.
You can find all the posts in The Wardrobe Project here.
I love the appliqué on your dress- fantastic idea! I also love that purple dress! Would like one of my own. I’d like to also make a simple dress to wear but have never made clothes.
When I trace that dress to make another I’ll be doing a tutorial. And as I learn to sew clothing I’ll be sharing links to the best tutorials I find!
Oh, the choice to use t-shirt fabric for the applique was inspired!!!
And I *feel your pain* on the scarf-and-naked-neck moment. Bleh. I love a v-neck, but it really needn’t be so wide/deep that it exposes the back of my neck. The waist shaping *looks* good from here, but I know well the weirdness of my waist sitting where patterns never seem to expect it – and I cannot abide little ties at all. So, a good option, but better with alterations! You still make it look great.
I have a very, VERY high waist – so things LOOK weird if they sit at my natural waist, and they FEEL weird if they sit where the standard waist is. I had a dress I loved a few decades ago with a dropped waist, and I think I’m going to try that with another make. I also thought I might try adding a tiny bit of (dropped) waist shaping with a tab and button – maybe just above the small of my back? Not as fussy as ties, but the same effect? So many things I’m eager to experiment with! Not enough hours in the day.
I find the necklines too wide/deep on nearly every pattern these days regardless of which company I purchase it from. I thought I was weird, but I see so many others having to alter necklines too.
A wide neckline looks lovely on a lot of women (including the designer of this pattern) but for me I like narrow, V-necks and shawl collars. 🙂 This one LOOKS like a narrow V-neck when you look at the pattern pieces, but when it sits on the body it goes much wider.