Playing Around With Bias Strip Applique Again

So, I was stumbling over my spools of bias trim wondering what my next project with them would be. I loved the skirt I made for Little Miss and decided I wanted one for myself.

This time, I decided make mine a bit different and used out of print McCalls 4457 pattern as my base.

I cut the pieces for cotton in my stash. I chose fabrics I would likely not use for anything else because they would be covered by the bias strips.  After sewing the long seam, I drew lines 1" apart and applied the strips 1/4" from the the edge of the strip. For this skirt, I only sewed one end of the strip down allowing the other to hang free. I began sewing at the bottom of the skirt allowing the succeeding strip to overlap the one before. 

I sewed past the edge of the fabric and serged them down when they were all done. 

I even like the stitching on the flip side.

Overskirt and underskirt

I got to this point of the construction and did not know what to do with the upper portion. I thought going in the opposite direction would be interesting so I changed direction. It was distracting to look at so I unpicked it all. I decided to continue on the same path as before using the color from the bottom.

I joined the underskirt to the outer skirt allowing it to be lined with wrong sides together. I installed an invisible zipper and applied facing to the waistband.

The last thing to be done was the hand-sewing of the hem. I slip-stitched the entire length of it by securing it to the lining. This was a tedious, but worthwhile task to not have any stitches show on the outside. 

For a project that I started without a complete vision, I am very pleased.

This skirt by the numbers:

✂ Base fabric: 3 1/8 yards 

✂ Rows of bias: 54 

✂ Shortest length: 2.5" 

✂ Longest length: 47"

✂ Total length of bias: 47 yards. 

✂ Length of hem to hand sew: 5.5 yards 

I love the lines of the bias and the texture it gives. The unfinished edges will weather with time, wear and washing. I am excited to watch this fall apart in the best way.

The completion of this shirt coincides with the PR Skirt contest so I have entered it. We will see how that goes.

I have yards and yards of these colors of bias as well as green and blue still. I am excited to see how I use them next.

Happy Sewing,

Bianca

On Trend and Off the Shoulder

                     

So I was kinda in love with the Simplicity 8124 Cynthia Rowley off the shoulder dress when I saw it. It is fun and flirty and I thought it would be cute to make. I have seen pattern reviews and loved a few. I had doubts about the length and fabric fullness at the bust, but decided to give it a go.

                                       

My dress did not turn out as expected; it was a disaster! There is so much ease in this dress it was unflattering. The shoulders kept rolling up and when down, I felt like I could not raise my arms. I spent some time fiddling with it to make it work. In the end, decided to move on.

I thought I had a similar style in my stash and found Simplicity Jiffy 8978. I used it to make a dress a few years ago that was hidden in my closet. It was the look and feel for which I was going.

                                  

I shortened the dress to the point of the side slits of the pattern and whipped this up.

I love the narrower silhouette and wide drapey sleeves. The shoulders stay in place and are very comfortable.

I like that if I choose, I can wear the shoulders up too!

It feels good to bounce back from a sewing fail with a good result.

It was so fast to come together, I made another in an Ankara, wax print. 

The weight of the wax print is heavier than the lightweight denim of the other dress. This makes the sleeves stand up in a slightly more structured way and it gathers less on the elastic.

I love that a bold fabric like this wax print can take a simple shape and add some drama.

 This was the feel I was hoping for with my Simplicity 8124 version.

I compared the pattern pieces for both patterns to see the difference. There is an 4-inch difference at the fold on the front and back. That is a 16-inch difference around! The rest of the pattern is pretty much the same.

Cynthia Rowley -----------------------------------------Out of Print Jiffy

If you want a more streamlined version of the Cynthia Rowley dress, cut your size then fold that pattern down four inches before cutting your fabric. There is a wider triangular base on the C.R. pattern which you can taper down if you like. My concern was the bulk at the bust so I would leave that part alone.

Happy Sewing,
Bianca