Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Color Blocked Maxi Dress

When the latest release of Vogue Patterns was posted, I was immediately drawn to this one- Vogue 9104. The two tone soft wave effect reminded me of an ice cream sundae, an ocean wave, a sand dune. Ahh- just so organic and relaxing. I just couldn't wait to make it. The only question was what fabric to use?


The pattern suggested crepe de chine, broadcloth or jersey.  I chose two rayon jerseys from Fabric Mart, and ordered 3 yards of each color. The fabric shrunk quite a bit after the first washing, and I was left with 2-1/2 yards of each. That sounds like a lot of fabric, but the dress really took the entire length of it. I do have some bits and pieces left that I'm hoping to piece together another top.


Rayon jerseys have many pluses- they drape beautifully, they are extremely soft and silky to the touch, and are breathable. On the minus side- they tend to grow longer as the day goes on, so you have to do something to stabilize areas like necklines and armholes, and you need to adjust the overall length.



So, for this dress, I first folded out about 4" of length from the pattern before cutting. I removed 1" across the chest, so that it would shorten the armhole length. I removed 2" in the main body at the shorten/length line, and I removed 1" at the lower layer hemline. 



I'm 5' 9" and if I made this out of a woven fabric, I would have added about 3" in length, so removing 4" gives you an idea of just how much a rayon jersey will grow. I'm even wearing 3" heels in these photos! 


To stabilize the armhole area, I adhered a 1cm strip of fusible interfacing around the seam line of the armhole when it was flat. Then, instead of a facing, I just turned under the raw edges and stitched in place. The fusible interfacing keeps the armhole from lengthening. Very important if you don't want to show your bra.


The other change that I made to the pattern was that I chose to simplify the neckline.  It is designed for an interfaced neckband and a loop and button closure in the back. I skipped the interfacing, and just sewed the band in a circle, so that I can pull this over my head. I actually tried it on before adding the bottom layer, and it looked good, so this pattern could easily be a shorter dress, just by removing the lower piece. The dress has in-seam pockets as well. Thank you, Vogue! I love a dress with pockets!


We took these pictures on a windy day- the skirt would normally hang straight down, but I kind of like the dramatic effect the wind has on it. Made from a light weight knit, this is almost a one size fits all dress. I say "almost" because of the length. But if you are wearing a belt, you can pull up the extra length and blouse it over the belt. 


I made this to wear to my daughter's college graduation party. It was comfortable and everyone loved it. I hope that I'll have more occasions to wear it this summer. It seems a little dressy for every day wear, but honestly, it is so comfortable that it feels like I'm wearing pajamas.  

It would be fun to make this from some other color combinations. Can you see it in black and white?  Or how about orange and grey? Or burgundy and lavender? So many possibilities! Alas, one of this style is enough for me, so I will have to wait to see what other people make and enjoy.

Happy Sewing!

Comments

  1. Gosh Ann, this is one STUNNING dress! I love the idea of using orange and grey....now you have me thinking I need this dress in that color combination! :) Sue

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sue. Orange and grey would look so cool on you!

      Delete
  2. Oh, Ann, I 100% agree with Sue, this is stunning on you. And Sue, you better make one in orange and grey, that would be awesome. :) Thanks for sewing this up, Ann!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very Pretty dress. I had no idea Rayon jersey stretches that much. Thanks for the info.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Natisha! The longer the dress, the more it stretches due to the weight. So, if you are just sewing a top, it probably wouldn't be that noticeable, but for this length, it definitely is an issue.

      Delete
  4. I LOVE the colors! You have a great eye!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: A Pink Suiting Set for Spring

Spring is here! So is my first blog of the year. I had some inspiration with this one. I saw a picture on an Instagram profile and wanted to make my own. Now, my version ended up a little different, but overall, I really love it. However, I still want to recreate the inspiration pic at some point. For this look, I chose a cotton candy pink double weave suiting . It is soft, has a semi-textured hand, and has a crepe weave on the wrong side. The fabric does have some stretch to it. I absolutely love the color and feel of this fabric. This is a suiting fabric with the softness of a knit. The thing I do not like about it though is it snags. So, I had to be careful using pins and seam ripping to prevent snags. I had the Fernanda Vicki Sews pattern in mind but once I downloaded the instructions and saw how many pieces were involved, I switched to a different pattern, lol. I ended up making the Riana Blazer. It has a semi-fitted blazer with a straight silhouette. A belt and belt loops that yo...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing the Eleonora by Silversaga – A Romantic Dress you need in your closet

I recently had the pleasure of sewing up the Eleonora pattern by Silversaga, and I’m excited to share my thoughts because this one really surprised me—in the best possible way. If you’re not already familiar with Silversaga, their aesthetic leans into romantic minimalism—think timeless silhouettes with poetic details. The Eleonora Dress is a vintage-inspired, chemise-style from the Regency Era of the 1800’s design infused with modern elements like adjustable sizing, soft gathers, and flexible fit details.  The Eleonora is a thoughtfully designed dress pattern with multiple views and customizable features. Some of its standout design elements include: • Adjustable fit via ties and elastic channels at the neckline and waist, allowing it to flatter a range of body shapes and sizes. • Sleeve options, including short or long gathered raglan sleeves, often finished with ruffles for added softness. • A full, swishy four-panel skirt—complete with in seam pockets and a deep hem—that b...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing the Chalk & Notch Hayes Dress

Hey lovely friends! With summer knocking at the door, I am absolutely ready for breezy dresses at all times. I love linen all year round, but summer is my particular favorite for this fiber. This bright happy color fills me with delight, and it’s so perfect in the sunshine.  For this project, I got all my supplies in one go! I chose this stunning Sea Green linen , lightweight fusible interfacing , ½” elastic , and of course, matching thread. If you haven’t sat down to create your own little sewing kit with all the bits at hand, it’s quite a nice gift to yourself and makes getting started that much easier. I’m all about ease these days.  I sewed the new Chalk & Notch Hayes Dress with the open back cutout, which is View A. The other two options are a closed-back dress and a two piece set. I was a tester for this charming pattern, and I can confirm the two piece set is also gorgeous and really fun to wear. I have looked forward to sewing this version for weeks!  Please...