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I love fooling around with new patterns.
Right now I have some semi-duds, a top and a skirt, both new patterns, I will talk about in the next week or so, but right now I want to share my experiments with the Kristen dress.
I originally made this dress here and really liked it.
I have been meaning to get back to it and had two fabulous pieces of ponte from Mood I wanted to cut into. Nothing, nothing, nothing is as energizing as good fabric, in happy colours, and a pattern you can trust.
Note to the audience, for whatever reason the colours are not quite so blazing in real life, and yes my photographer should tell me my hair got messed up during the quick changes.
Done.
O.K. The first dress was in my coral ponte from Mood, such nice hand to this fabric it more or less makes a person who has been stuck with too much crap fabric in the past, to just cry.
Unfortunately the same person did not have the brains to buy quite enough. So there was some piecing done adding a seam under the bust which I hope looks like it is supposed to be there.
With this new seam I decided the darts might look busy so I eased in the dart to the side seam with perhaps some success or perhaps not.
Also because the fabric was beefy (you will know exactly what I mean by that) I took the side seams in a lot to eliminate the A shape.
And because I have a chicken neck I also added a silk scarf I got at my vintage second hand source.
I could be told to tone it down, good advice, if I were a toned down kind of girl. Which I am not. You will figure that out for yourself when you look at these shots and I trust someone somewhere is doing my toning down for me. It is probably very much needed.
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| A shot outside the sewing room I decided to do because the colour is more accurate and it shows the neckline without the scarf.
Second, I decided to try Pam's collar ideas, linked a few posts back, in another ponte. Because this would obviously make it a pull over dress I eliminated the back seam and the zipper, which I realize could be done in any version of this dress.
I love the collar but probably should have interfaced it. I didn't because in the planning stages I was concerned about having all those layers of ponte making a bulky collar anyway. So the collar sort of flops a bit but I am fine with that.
I love, love this dress. Which BTW I made with the original side seams. You can see the difference not taking it in makes.
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22 comments:
They are lovely dresses. Great work on the collar of the second one.
Love both of these dresses! Love bright colors-the scarf adds a nice touch..
The dresses look great and so do you. No toning-down needed.
I like the dress both ways - with the boxy shape and with the waistline definition. Yes to the scarf because it's not too much and yes to definitely making more!!!
Yay for more color! You look great in both of these. It's wonderful to look good and be comfortable at the same time:)
I like both of these, both in color and with the collar and scarf. Can't wait to see what else you do with your new TNT pattern!
Both very nice - I don't think toning down would work - these dresses would need to be toned down for me, but not for you - the coral especially suits you beautifully.
Both great dresses in wonderful colours - absolutely no toning down required :)
I love the orange colour.
Hey no toning down needed! I love the colours and they look great on you. I like both ways of the side seams (bad sentence!)
Great dresses, all of them. I like the scarf, and your pink glasses. Pretty colors in the midst of winter.
They are both wonderful dresses and Yah for a TNT pattern.
just wanted to say how much I enjoy your blog. Your humor and can do attitude are inspiring, especially flypaper thoughts!
Love the dresses and how you're adding color to your wardrobe!
Wow, wow, wow! These dresses look fabulous on you. Wonderful, popping, pretty colors that bring color to your face and nice, nice, nice shapes for both dresses.
You look very nice, in all of those dresses. Great outfit! :)
Nice easy shapes, great colors--especially in the dead of winter! Elle
I think both shapes look great on you and the colors - fabulous! Great score on two great looking dresses.
The seam you had to add to the coral ponte doesn't show in the picture, and even if it did no one would know it wasn't part of the pattern. The color is very pretty and I love the scarf.
The 2nd one is also pretty! I really like the collar just as it is!
I love those dresses on you. You look terrific in them, effortlessly comfortable as well as beautiful. I guess the French word for that is "chic". Today I went to work with a different look, best described as "funny". An odd choice? Well, a colleague had an abundance of bananas, so I was taking in an enormous papaya to swap for some bananas. That inspired me to wear a pleated skirt made out of a tropical fruit print poplin. Not having done laundry in a while (it is the rainy season) the only clean coordinating top gave the ensemble a no- waist and frankly comical appearance. Looking in the mirror, I thought about a student I was seeing today. She is suffering from debilitating anxiety and depression and needs a lot of support. I thought, "This will make her laugh!" and off I went. Well, as the day unfolded, "funny" wasn't always the best look but maybe it was the best for my most important interaction.
As a fellow teacher I so identify with both your outfit and thinking about a student. Sounds like the perfect thing to wear on your day. Thanks for sharing.
Love both these Kristen dresses. Lovely fit and beautiful colours. You have inspired me to try this pattern again.
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