If Fabric Could Talk

Does your fabric have a story to tell? Most of mine do. And I remember most of them, which is a hard feat if you’re as forgetful as I am.

This particular fabric started by flagging me down in the $3.95/yard jumbled mess in G-Street Fabrics, back in 2012. It told me to take it home and make a dress out of it. It told me take it all. I took all 5 yards.

With a wedding to attend in the coming months, I was determined to make my first dress that was good enough for a wedding party. My sparkly teal fabric said to pick it as part of the dress. This was my first time working with a pattern alone, and I had no ideas about fitting and adjusting patterns. The dress was wearable, but when I saw pictures from that night, I was embarrassed. It made me look pregnant, and the shoulders kept falling off. I put away the dress and the fabric. I saved one picture of that dress, but I’m too embarrassed to share it.

Fast forward 6 years (2018), I’ve had a child, been sewing more often, and found out about Indie patterns. Then saw one that was 1) free and 2) eeeeeveryone looked good in it. My teal sparkle fabric was calling me again to try once more. So I did. And it looked terrible. I ended up reusing that dress to make this one for Lilli.

The first dress I made, in back 2012, was calling me to cut it up and make the muslin out of it’s remains. I listened again. I sewed it up and it was okay. Needed work, but not terrible. This is promising. I pinned up what needed to be changed on this muslin. But I needed to move on and make the main dress, so the muslin got put away, pins and all.

Almost a year later, the dress has been taunting me to finish it. Almost 10 years later, I finally have a dress that I like out of this wonderfully sparkly teal fabric.

The pattern

I used the Love Notions Summer Basic Tank and Dress – it’s designed for knits; has 3 length options and optional shelf bra. The pattern comes with a full bust piece, if you need it.

The dress is super easy to make, and you only have to hem the bottom. Both the neck and armscye are finished with bands.

You can get this wonderfully summer pattern today March 4 for $5 and get a head start on your summer sewing.

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The modifications

I had to take in at the waist to hip about 2 inches. Also did a 1.5 inch sway back adjustment (this is a normal adjustment for me). Next time around, I will be shortening the fabric between the shoulder and bust then adding it back in under the bust.

The dress ended up being shorter than I’d prefer so I am most probably going to wear it with some sort of pants, either leggings or my trusty salwars. I think it looks nice as a Indian fusion wear.

Or go full out with a belt and all!

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