Made By A Fabricista: A Breezy Summer Birthday Dress

Happy birthday to me!! I try to sew a breezy, easy wearing summer dress every July in the loudest print I can find (like this one from a couple years ago.) This year I pulled out my BurdaStyle stash and found 5/2014 #117, the epitome of casual summer dresses!

I picked up this "palm trees at sunset" print rayon challis and it was on!! I cut a straight size 42. Normally I size up in the hip, but clearly this has a very full skirt and is totally accommodating to the pear shaped gal.

I added 1" to the bodice length, a normal alteration for me to work for me at 5'8"-- Burda's patterns are designed for someone who is 5'6". I excluded the pockets on the hips. Who doesn't love a pocket?!! Me. I find they add too much bulk exactly where I don't want it, so bye bye hip pockets.

I love those narrow, little straps. But I severely dislike the way Burda said I should sew them where you have to turn them right side out by pulling them through themselves, struggling, screaming profanity and nearly giving up 1/2 way through strap #1... blah blah blah. I just fold them in half a couple times, iron them and zip them through my sewing machine. I could care less if I see a line of stitches on the straps on this super casual maxi dress. If I had some cute ribbon, that would have been a great option for the straps and tie on the bodice, too.

Bras are an issue here, folks. A regular bra with straps can be okay-- if the straps are lined up right, they can blend in, appearing like another strap on the dress. But I opted to do a strapless bra. If you have a figure that can handle being bra-less, you're a lucky one.

I love the drape and weight of rayon challis, plus is sews up so well on both my regular machine and my serger. And it washes and dries nicely if you pull it out of the dryer ASAP-- no ironing for me. I don't iron ever, unless it's a special occasion or I am in the process sewing.

Hopefully I am eating cake and ice cream while you are reading this, not spilling my birthday yummies all over my sassy new dress.

Happy Summer Sewing!!

~Kathy

Kathy Sews

Made By A Fabricista: Speaking My Truth

Happy Saturday All! In these unsettling times, I hug my children a little tighter, spend quality time embracing them, and cherish every moment even more. This pandemic has allowed me to appreciate deep conversations about racial injustice, police brutality, and their feelings about growing up black.
My daughter Arielle, a happy go lucky child, shuns away as she is always being questioned about her race and which box she checks off on an application. She hates the fact that she is consistently asked by her peers and teachers at school if she is biracial, Hispanic, or Black. She has often times questioned her own identity, yet she gladly responds to anyone who asks, “ I am black and I am a part of the human race”.

My son despises the news media (especially social media) and doesn't watch it at all. The death of his older brother and guns triggers a fear that we pray he overcomes. Over the past few weeks, I have read some of the most unreal remarks and comments about "all lives ma…

Made by a Fabricista: Summer Time Blues

Hello again and happy July! In April, I started sewing a work wardrobe in red and black, and I decided to expand that work wardrobe to include blue and white. I just love the combination of blue and white especially in the summer! For my work wardrobe, I want fabrics that do not wrinkle easily, can be laundered, and can mix and match with other fabrics. I ordered several coordinating fabrics- a white ponte, a blue chiffon print, a blue geometric crepe de chine, and a blue double weave suiting. Most of these are still available as I write this, but are in the 60-70% off categories, so if you like any, I would order soon!

Have you ever used a Burda Style pattern magazine? I used to always subscribe the Burda Plus magazine which is for larger sizes, but they stopped making it in English and I stopped my subscription. I missed it so much, that I took a chance and ordered it in French directly from France on burdastyle.fr. It wasn't expensive- about $15 total including the po…

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