Paradiso Designs Boho Frock and a Giveaway!!

Oh Bianca, where art thou? Where have I been? Over on Instagram getting instant gratification without writing an endless post like the one you are about to read (please read it). I know it is terrible to say, but it is partly true. I have been hanging out and posting existing makes there during Me Made May. I have been working on wearing clothes that I had or remakes using pattern I had already sewn. I did not have many new makes to blog about so I have been neglectful, but that will change I promise. 

Today's Me Made May look is a new make from an Indie Designer and I am so happy to share it with you.

I first saw this pattern it at the International Quilt Festival and thought it was so cute. 

I really wanted to find the right fabric to make this fun dress. In my stash, I found a vintage tablecloth. It has a lovely flower motif, but had a few age spots and stains. I planned to address that  with some fabric dye later. 

It is a fun dress that can be made in three different lengths, babydoll, midi and maxi. I chose the babydoll length for my first one.

I am lazy in that once I learn a pattern company, I am reluctant to learn a new one unless I love the design. I loved the BoHo Frock when I saw the samples at the International Quilt Festival. My love of the dress and variations available in the diversions  made me get over my reluctance to try something new.


The instructions are very detailed and appear overwhelming, but are not. The booklet is not like the big four pattern companies so that was a minor mental block of mine. I read it once and I was good to go. It is intuitive and worth trying.

Because I was using a tablecloth with lace trim, I had to tweak my construction steps. It was fun playing with pattern placement to maximize the fabric. I  stitched the sleeves in flat to be sure the lace portions matched up. 

Sleeves being stitched in flat.

I left the sleeve and dress hems trimmed with the original lace. I serged the seams for a clean finish and fed the threads tails back into the seam.

Hiding the thread tails

:)

The dress came together very quickly.

Because of the dinginess and age of the tablecloth, I wanted to tie dye the fabric.

Rubber banded

I began with Navy blue dye

After the first pass in the dye bath, it was too light. I redyed it in a turquoise bath and love the result!

My daughter was mystified that my black slip under the dress camouflaged my undergarments. She was really nervous about preserving my modesty.
  

 I really love the way the dye came out!

I am really happy with my dress and feel silly for taking so long to make it.

Cheryl has expanded the original pattern options with her diversions. It allows to to make changes to the Boho Frock for more looks. I will be trying one of these soon maybe in a sew along?

To share this awesome dress, I have partnered with Cheryl of Paradiso Designs to give one lucky reader a Boho Frock Duo Pattern set. That is the original Boho Frock pattern and the Diversions!

The contest starts tomorrow so be sure to check back. If you follow me on IG I will remind you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

If you have not had enough of me by now, I was featured as a Paradiso Passionate Sewist and you can read the story on Cheryl's blog. 

Happy Sewing,
Bianca