Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: A DIY Summer Dress in Polka-Dot and Flowers.

By
[Dress was made for and modeled by my daughter Mori]

Summer is here, kinda...... over here in PA the weather gets warm then cool, then rain then warmer, then cool. When it comes in full swing Mori will be prepared with all the  dresses I've sewn this week. For this DIY dress I used  Butterick pattern 6453 will be a summer staple for sure. It's sew cute and sew easy to make. I made three different versions of this dress and the other two are posted on my blog, so stop by and check those out. 

The pattern is pretty straight forward no issues and the possibilities of hacking this pattern are endless. The pattern does not call for an invisible zipper, just a regular install. I used a peach color zipper which will give  some peek-a-boo color action in the back. I think an exposed zipper would work magic back there with a simple print or solid. I may try that if I make another dress from this pattern.

I purchased this sateen border print when I visited the retail store last year and I bought two panels to make a midi skirt. I never got around to it so it was a perfect choice for this dress. Now the question was what fabric do I use for the top of  the dress, no solids in sight, so a polka-dot print it was.  Fabric Mart doesn't have any border prints in stock right now, but check back periodically. I think any floral print would make a fabulous dress.




  


  
   

    

   
   


For those of you who know about the sewing magazine I am publishing, I wanted to let you know it's coming along and the Go-Fund-Me is still open for a few more weeks. If you wanted to donate there is still time, just click the picture. All donations big or small are appreciated.


That's all for now folks!
Michelle @ That Black Chic

Comments

  1. Sue ParrottJune 7, 2017 at 8:30 AM

    I LOVE this so MUCH! Great combination of fabrics! Mori is one lucky girl getting all these amazing clothes from such a talented mom!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Carolyn (Diary of a Sewing Fanatic)June 7, 2017 at 8:39 AM

    🔥🔥🔥 - this is such an amazing use of this fabric and has me totally rethinking how I'm going to use my piece! Beautiful dress!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That Black ChicJune 7, 2017 at 1:39 PM

      When I was looking for fabric form my stash I was like Yeessss, this will be perfect!

      Delete
  3. LindaJune 7, 2017 at 9:45 AM

    I just bought this pattern and I am soooo glad that I did. Your dress is pure delight!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. SD Cunni DesignsJune 7, 2017 at 10:16 AM

    Isn't she lovely. Your versions of this dress are absolutely amazing. I have looked over that pattern a number of times but now I am thinking about purchasing it. Great job as usual.

    ReplyDelete
  5. TeeJune 7, 2017 at 11:51 AM

    That is the cutest dress!!!! Love it, love it so much. So girly!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That Black ChicJune 7, 2017 at 9:14 PM

      Yes it is we had to break out the pearls for this one.

      Delete
  6. Monica DJune 7, 2017 at 4:59 PM

    Love combo ... FIESTA ;)

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJune 9, 2017 at 1:36 PM

    I love, love, LOVE this dress! I am definitely inspired to sew it now. I bought the pattern recently and I haven't decided on the fabric choice yet but boarder prints are on my list to look out for.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That Black ChicJune 9, 2017 at 7:15 PM

      Absolutely! They work very well with this pattern.

      Delete
  8. Epiphany QueenJune 14, 2017 at 5:32 PM

    Love Love Love... You art is so amazing!

    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.

Recent Posts You Might Like

Office Attire to Remember

By
Hello everyone! I’m very excited to contribute to Fabricista blog once more! I made another brand new cosplay: Reiko Kujirai from Kowloon Generic Romance! Kowloon Generic Romance is a sci-fi, romance & mystery manga series. It was later adapted to a TV anime and live action film! This series takes place in Kowloon Walled City. It’s about a woman named Reiko Kujirai who suffers from memory loss and doesn't remember her past. She works at a realty estate management company with her co-worker Hajime Kudou, a very easy going and brash man who’s also her crush! Reiko lives her life in Kowloon, while also trying to discover who she is, and the mysteries of this city (I will not spoil everything! You’re going to have to check it out for yourself!). I binged the anime in one day and really enjoyed it. The story and the characters are very intriguing. I love that the main characters are in their 30s, which is very rare in anime! After watching the anime, I knew that I had to cosplay Rei...
5 comments
Continue Reading »

Return to work wardrobe in ITY – which is your favorite?

By
In June of this year, after spending nearly 11 years at my place of employment and after restructuring and cost cutting, I took a separation package. I was so fortunate to be able to take a few months off, and also to very quickly find a position with a new company. I start my new job on September 14th and I’m super excited!  This new position is also different for me in that it is local to my area (whereas before I worked remotely and traveled to the office every few weeks) – so I’ll be going into the office three times a week. So of course I needed to sew up some new outfits! I’m a huge fan of ITY knit fabric ; ITY stands for interlock twist yarn, which describes the way the yarn is knitted together. I love it for tops, dresses, skirts, and even pants: it’s comfortable, easy care, low wrinkle, and comes in so many beautiful prints. I sewed up three new outfits over the last two weeks and I’m excited to share them with you today! Oh, and also – I need help choosing what to wear fi...
18 comments
Continue Reading »

Double Back

By
Have you ever used a fabric that you loved so much you had to buy more and make it again.  I can only think of a handful of times that I’ve done that as I am very much a use it all for one project type of person.  However after I first used this snakeskin print stretch twill I knew I needed more of it. It started off when I decided to make this dress for my upcoming high school reunion. I loved the fabric even more in person. When I was playing around with the dress I envisioned making pants with it as well in the future.  I was able to order some matching thread and zippers to complete my dress look. Then I ordered 5 more yards to give myself a second look.  I love to use Pinterest to help me gather my ideas. In the end I came up with this lace up detailed look.  I wanted a slightly rockstar inspired look but still something I could keep in rotation in my wardrobe.  I sketched my idea out and sourced the patterns that I wanted to use.  I used Viki Se...
3 comments
Continue Reading »

Foray into Shirtmaking

By
I love playing with volume and texture! I've always loved well-made shirts: the soft yet crisp fabric, the structure and tailored fit. I love the deceptive simplicity that tries to conceal the precision and details that go into their construction…everything about well-made shirts is fascinating. And despite my interest, I somehow never really owned one. Let’s change that! I took my time with the finishing touches. I decided to bury my nose in a couple of David Page Coffin books on shirtmaking and became even more determined to try my hand at sewing one for myself. Everything I read about shirtmaking emphasized the need for really good fabric, so this 100% cotton shirting was a no-brainer (SKU: DMC 5116). I mean, look at those stripes! It's incredibly soft and light, with lots of body and a voluminous drape. It holds its shape remarkably well, and it was a delight to press. For my first go, I wanted a forgiving pattern that could hide any potential mistakes behind gathers and v...
8 comments
Continue Reading »