Skip to main content

Made by a Fashionista: Go Bold or Go Home

Image
By



I love the style of shirtdresses, but I very rarely wear them. For one they are usually made with cotton fabric and I hate to iron (which is one of the reasons I love to sew with knits). Also since I've started sewing they've just seemed like to much work to make...collars, cuffs, buttons and buttonholes. Sigh.

                                Simplicity Pattern 8546 Misses' and Miss Petite Shirt Dresses

But after I saw another sewists version of S8546 I knew I wanted to sew View B for myself for this months blog post! Fabric Mart always has a great selection of shirting, so much so that I ended up grabbing two prints, this black and white vertical stripe and a large scale blue plaid.


I debated the vertical stripes because well it's a bold choice. I knew it would either be fashionably chic piece or a epic fail. I mean b&w vertical stripes scream umpire or worse...Beetle Juice, eck! Good or bad I decided to go for it though I'm still not quite sure if I nailed it or failed it, but I think I can pull it off.


Either way I am pleased with this project, I've built my confidence on sewing collars and cuffs. Even my buttonholes weren't as much of a challenge this time. Admittedly I omitted all the buttons and buttonholes on the front because I mainly plan on wearing this as a duster. That still left 6 buttonholes, two on each cuff and one on each sleeve tab (which I added from View A).



Sadly even if I wanted to wear it as a dress I'd have to lose a few pounds to button it. Somehow I managed to cut a 16 instead of a 18. Though now that I'm looking at the photos I might go ahead and add buttons. What color though? black? white? gold?


See ya next month,

Tiffany
TipStitched

Comments

  1. KS_Sews (Dressmakingbacles)February 24, 2018 at 11:49 AM

    Gold would be fantastic! I think it’s very cute as a duster.

    I think I bought this fabric. I plan to play with the lines with seaming. It’s on my list for March :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TipStitchedFebruary 26, 2018 at 9:58 PM

      I'm leaning gold. I can't wait to see what you make.

      Delete
  2. UnknownFebruary 24, 2018 at 12:46 PM

    girl this is good i like this one i will do it

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ann BrodskyFebruary 25, 2018 at 7:40 PM

    This looks great on you! Very bold, but you wear it well! I'd probably do black buttons as it looks like they'd show up on the white stripe the best.

    ReplyDelete
  4. MaricaFebruary 25, 2018 at 8:53 PM

    Great choice as a duster! I have the same pattern and is a bit skeptical as I am not a fan of shirt dresses myself. It looks good on you as you paired it with BLACK underneath.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TipStitchedFebruary 26, 2018 at 10:01 PM

      I say go for it! I plan to make the knee dress length too.

      Delete
  5. AnonymousFebruary 26, 2018 at 7:41 AM

    You nailed it! According to the fashion magazines, black and white is sooooo in this year! Well done!
    Lee, UK.

    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

Made By A Fabricista: A Fresh Take on a Classic Shirt Dress

By
Summer has arrived! That means longer days, soaring temps, and the perfect excuse for me to add another linen garment to my wardrobe.  Lightweight linen and summer weather just go together, don’t you agree? That’s why I choose this striped linen for my next Fabricista make. Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews ready to share my summer dress with you.  The tiny blue and white stripes combined with navy buttons give it a bit of coastal charm, while the details make it anything but a traditional shirt dress.  The fabric is a Ralph Lauren 100% shirt weight linen. The stripes are so small that from a distance the fabric almost looks like a solid color. One advantage of those small stripes is that I didn’t worry about whether they matched as I would have with a wider stripe :-)  The pattern I choose is McCall’s 8556, a shirtdress that, instead of a typical straight silhouette, has a gathered bodice, a fitted waistband that sits just above the waist, short, c...
3 comments
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Mechanic Chic!

By
When it comes to buying ready-to-wear garments as a sewist, I only ever spend in three categories: heavy duty winter jackets (life in Maine!), bras… and jumpsuits! I love a good jumpsuit, but unfortunately the ones I used to buy have been impacted by the tariff situation and I can’t get them affordably anymore. This can only mean one thing, folks: it’s time to roll up my sleeves and sew my very first jumpsuit!  When I started planning for this project, I knew I wanted to use a heavyweight linen for cozy comfort in the fall and breathability in the summer. I wanted something that would wear beautifully and soften with age, and something with neutral tones that could go with everything. Naturally, when I came across this 100% linen canvas on Fabric Mart, my heart skipped a beat! I love the ikat-inspired geometry and something about it reminds me of leopard spots too. Bold yet wearable! I am pretty sure this fabric was intended for home decor which I don’t mind at all and in fact of...
3 comments
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Tried and true summer basics that fit.

By
Happy Summer Friends! As I am writing this, we are headed into a nasty heat wave…so the timing could not be better to share two of my favorite summer patterns and fabrics.  But first, let me tell you about the fail I had heading into this month’s blog… As Fabricista’s, we get to pick out fabric for each of our blog submissions. I fell in love with this gorgeous lilac jacquard knit that I thought would be perfect for a pop of color in my summer wardrobe. But I made a fatal error - I grabbed a pattern I haven’t made for years, quickly went up one size to account for a few new pounds, and sewed them up. And they don’t fit, will NEVER fit, and will never be worn. Sigh…when will I learn?? Here’s a flat lay pic so we can at least look at the lovely fabric: The lesson I learned (relearned!) is that just like with off the rack clothes, the things that worked well for me years ago don’t work well for me today.  And that’s the case with both tops and bottoms. So I went back to two patt...
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

Made By A Fabricista: Art In Motion

By
Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Tira from TIRACOOKS and I am so excited to share this project with you. When I first spotted this fabric, I was drawn in by how stunning it looked it reminded me of a living art piece. Then, when I looked closer, I noticed painted hanging plants in the print, which made it even more special. This fabric is one of my all-time favorites: chiffon. It cuts so smoothly, and the best part? Any wrinkles come out effortlessly with a steamer. Before cutting into anything, fabric prep is essential! Chiffon must be prewashed by hand in cold water with a gentle detergent or baby shampoo. Always serge or zigzag stitch the raw edges to prevent fraying. Submerge and gently swirl the fabric to wash never wring or twist it then air dry flat. I used a 70/10 needle in my Juki DDL, which is perfect for lightweight fabrics, alongside my Juki overlock machine. Look One: The Duster & Dress I was lucky enough to create two completely separate outfits from this fabric. The first...
2 comments
Continue Reading »