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Made By A Fabricista: My Summer Dresses

Hello everyone! I am so happy it’s summer; it gives me energy.   I love the sunshine, the warm air, and the flowers that bloom this time of year.  This summer I want new dresses. They need to be comfortable during the summer heat.  They need to easily transition from casual day wear to an elevated evening outfit and look chic whether I am in sneakers, flats, or platform shoes.  I also want one of them will be white because I don’t own a white dress!

I saw Vogue V1653 and was immediately taken by its comfortable style and the simplicity of the lapel collar.  I chose View D for its midi length and almost straight skirt.  The side seam pockets was a bonus. I would wear this dress with a sneaker around town or with platform shoes and a belt I already own for dinner with friends.  I selected Fabric Mart’s medium Persian blue 100% linen (SKU# UAA7473r) to sew this loose-fitting dress.

I favored McCall’s M7805 for its close-fitting lined bodice and midi length flared skirt. The button-down front reminded me of timeless shirtdresses. The off-the-shoulder neckline and the straps screamed summer. I would wear this with my flats for lunch with friends or with platforms to go out for the evening with my husband.  I picked FM’s eggshell white cotton/polyester poplin (SKU# CQA3063) for the midi length View D.


Starting with the V1653 dress, I prewashed the linen in hot water and dried it in the dryer.  I made a muslin first, cutting a size 14 for the bodice and skirt. The neck opening was very low for my comfort, only 2 inches above my belly button! So, I raised it by 4 inches.  The rest of the dress was constructed according to the pattern instructions. Pellon sheer weight interfacing made the lapel look crisp. I serged the seams and finished the lower skirt edge with a 5/8 inch narrow hem. The slit in the lower center back of the skirt was a nice touch.


For the M7805 dress, I prewashed the poplin in warm water and dried it in the dryer.  Based on my muslin, I cut a size 14, C cup, and expanded the waist to size 16. Pellon sheer weight interfacing was used for the collar, bodice front, and skirt front. Attaching the collar and straps took a long time since I wanted them to cover my bra straps and drape nicely.   Modifications:  I made the buttonholes vertical instead of the suggested horizontal. Also, I made 12 buttonholes instead of 11. The buttons were spaced 3 inches apart, instead of 4, to avoid the gaping in the bust area. I serged all the seams and finished the skirt with a narrow hem.


My dresses turned out as I imagined. The weight of the linen allowed the V1653 dress to drape nicely; I love its blue color. The crispness of the poplin gave the M7805 dress a vintage feel; its color was bright and popped against the black buttons. I am very happy with my new summer dresses!


Til next time,

MARY ANN  @anasewperfect

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories LINEN & POPLIN.

Comments

  1. Such pretty dresses. The blue one has both a simplicity and chic-ness to it.

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  2. Beautiful dresses, beautiful lady.

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  3. They turned out wonderfully well and are becoming to you.

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  4. Lovely fabric and pattern choices, great notes on changes, excellent sewing, both look great on you!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gorgeous dresses.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love the M7805 dress.... looks so comfortable!

    ReplyDelete

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