Looking For a Bit of Date Night Romance

February is the month for celebrating those we love. 

As busy parents, my husband and I take any opportunity we can to have some quality alone time. I found this wonderfully romantic Pink Roses on Grey Bamboo/Spandex Jersey at Nature's Fabrics.

It evoked images of quiet music playing, candlelit Chianti bottles, and the aromas of a meal not prepared by me. I knew it would be perfect for a Valentine's Day date night dress. I have previously used Butterick 6678 to make a dress with the pattern recommended woven fabric. I liked that dress and wanted to recreate it with in a knit fabric with slight variations from my first.

For this version, I chose to make view B with the sleeves of view A.

To modify this for a knit, I went down two sizes from that needed for a knit. This allowed me to reduce the ease for a figure-hugging fit.

I omitted the center back zipper as the dress can be pulled over the head though the deep neckline. I added clear elastic to the neckline facing before sewing it to the bodice. This provides stability and prevents warping with time and wear.

I really love the look and feel of the delicate gathers at the sleeve 

and the lower-tier.

I don't think I need to say it, but this dress was a big hit with the hubs. We had a great time and this dress will be featured heavily in the date wardrobe rotation.

The Black History Month sale in my Etsy store is still going on. It will end on February 29. Now is a great time to order your pattern weights, vintage patterns and anything else that tickles your fancy. 

 

Happy Sewing,
Bianca

Mixing It Up With Liberty Cottons

Sew the precious fabric! It looks better on a body than on a bolt! This is a pledge I am constantly working on as I examine my wardrobe in potential form, also know as my fabric stash. I am at times halted by the fear of ruining the fabric or the unwillingness to lose the thrill of the possibilities of what it might become.    

The Summer House Collection of Liberty Fabric by Riley Blake Designs was a recent opportunity to turn precious fabric potential into a treasured garment. 

 

          

      The Summer House Collection Manor Tile Navy

The Summer House  Collection Feather Dance Blue 

My love of tiered maxi dresses continues with this mixed-print, buttoned bodice take on Mccalls 7834,

The pattern was missing some markings on the skirt pieces. I had to quarter the tiers before gathering and attaching them to the vnext. This issue aside, I love my new dress!

I love the play between these prints and the flow of the fabric.

I love the opportunities to  play with the print placement throughout the design. Here is a contrast cuff.

 

Here it is  rolled back with no contrast.

The collar facings and necktie add visual interest to the neckline.

The side slit in the skirt adds a bit of sass to an otherwise conservative silhouette (I moved the placement because of my occasional need for a knee brace.) 

I like that the tie can be worn at the neckline

Or around the waist for a different look 

Is "prairie chic" a thing?

I feel modern and old-fashioned at the same time. Truth be told, I am perfectly fine with that.

Happy Sewing,

Bianca

Dream Weaver Dress

I generally, without a doubt, reside in a 1970s retro vibe with a modern twist. I love the colors, the fabrics and the patterns. So when I saw the Dream Weaver collection by Material Girl quilts, I knew what I had to do! Put on the song  by the same name by Gary Wright (psst, go listen then come right back), and hit my stash to find a pattern to play with these fun prints.

I chose to use the Diamonds design in the peach colorway.

                        

I found it was perfect to pair with this vintage Simplicity 6392 dress pattern from my stash.

I was drawn to the pleated maxi skirt and simple back detail. 

I love it but made a few modifications. The pattern calls for patch pockets but, I didn't want to interrupt this beautiful print.  I inserted them in the side seams instead. The waistline on the pattern had generous ease and was looser than I liked. I reduced the ease by creating a casing and inserting 1/4in elastic into it. This pulled in the fullness.

 I also opted to keep the bodice on grain for visual continuity.

It wears well on it's own or dressed down with a bit of denim.

 Dream big friends!

Happy Sewing,

Bianca

There Are No Scraps of Hedge Rose In My Sewing Studio!

There are some fabrics I buy, hold onto, and treasure for years without cutting into them. I may fear ruining them, cannot decide how to use them, or want to enjoy the dreamy limbo and promise of indecision.  

When I saw Hedge Rose by Kelly Panacci I knew I would be propelled in the opposite direction. The direction of wanting to immediately wrap my entire body in the fabric as soon as possible!

I absolutely love the roses against the rich navy in this floral design. The background texture really adds a depth to the print that I just love.

I knew I wanted to make a garment that took advantage of every available fiber!

  

I chose to make a maxi dress using Simplicity 8635. I thought the roses were a lovely compliment to the sweetheart neckline and shoulder straps.

The pattern is very straight-forward to sew with no surprises

Laser-cut pattern weights available in my Etsy Store.

I had concerns about coverage and the strength of the straps for the bodice. I made no adjustments to the pattern and it has me well-covered. 

I got dressed and took these photos alone. There is slight pooling of fabric above the waistline because I tied the dress myself. This resulted in my pulling the bodice down. When hubby helped me before, it fit perfectly without the issue.

I like how the loops and tie secure the back above the invisible zipper.

If I am going to make a lined dress in fabric I love, the only thing that makes it supreme is, pockets!  

I love this fabric! I love this dress! Hubby has plans for seeing it as is, on date night. I also have plans for pairing it with a leather or denim jacket for a girls night out!

This fabric was released this month and should be at quilt stores if not now, soon. When you get ready to buy, be sure to get a bit more than you think you will need; you will not regret it!

Happy Sewing,

Bianca

My Velvet Crush: A Front to Back Maxi Length Wrap Dress

Have you noticed the wonderful velvet garments that are everywhere this season? I have been crushing on them and knew it was time to add a velvet garment to my wardrobe.  As the new Nature's Fabrics brand ambassador, I thought my first project for them was the perfect chance to satisfy my infatuation with this luscious fabric. 

They have many colors and prints of crushed velvet and I was on the fence about which one to choose.

      

     

In the end, I choose the crushed velvet in Taupe, a perfect compliment to my skin and it reminded me of champagne.

If you have been here before, you know I like simple styles that let the fabric shine. I chose to use Vogue 9251 in view B with the sleeves of view A.

                   

I love the drama of a maxi dress and one that that features side seam pockets is a bonus. 

I was completely taken in by the adorable flutter sleeve.

Because velvet is tricky to sew/hem. I lined the bodice eliminate any unsightly and likely, uneven, stitching lines along the neckline. I used the velvet to line it and under stitched it to prevent it from rolling to the outside. To save myself some trouble next time, I would use a non-slippery lining when paired with velvet.

The wrap on this dress offers complete coverage providing modesty when needed, or not ;p.

Speaking of modesty, hubby was happily distracted by the depth of the neckline on this one. When I was getting his opinion on it, he couldn't focus on anything but how low it goes. I jokingly remarked that I would need to turn the thing around if I wanted to have a serious conversation with him. As it turns out, the dress works that way too! 

The stretch of the velvet allows the front darts to soften when turned to the back. The back darts don't interfere with bust shaping. 

It began as a joke, but I would seriously wear this dress both ways. A perfect dress for date night or the office holiday party.

Before this dress, I had not sewn with velvet yardage before. I have repurposed and reworked existing velvet pieces, but never from scratch. Like getting to know a long pined over crush, you discover unexpected and sometimes surprising things along the way. 

Here are some tips that helped me work with velvet and maintain my love affair with this yummy fabric.  

• Choose a pattern with a small number of pieces. This reduces the challenge of cutting and matching nap
• Cut the fabric in single layers paying attention to the direction of the pile of the fibers for duplicate pattern pieces
• Lay the fabric on a layer of flannel or carpet to prevent it from shifting
• Work from the wrong side of the fabric to avoid displacing the nap 
• Use a walking foot when sewing so the layers don't shift
• Stitch in the direction of the pile
• Serge the seams for a clean finish
• Have fun because the end result will be awesome

Happy Sewing,
Bianca