Skip to main content

Made by a Fashionista: Go Bold or Go Home




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

      Delete
  2. girl this is good i like this one i will do it

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

      Delete
  5. 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.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: A Wooly Wearable Blanket.

Twirling in a me-made outfit! I live in a small town where the nearest fabric shop is a road trip away, so I almost exclusively shop for fabric online. Having access to an online shop like Fabric Mart with a solid search engine is incredibly helpful. But by far my favorite aspect of Fabric Mart is what I call the “Drape Picture” included in each listing! This picture gives me all the information I need and I find it more helpful than the exact weight per yard/square meter.  Seeing how the fabric falls close or away from the body gives me a clear idea of how it will behave and inspires me to make it into something that will highlight the fabric’s nature.  When I saw the drape of this “Baked Plum” wool suiting , I immediately wanted to immortalize those beautiful folds into a skirt! I opted for a simple self-drafted pleated skirt with a deep hem. I wear my dresses year-round and rely on wool skirts that I layer under or over my dresses for warmth. I cut two panels for the front ...

Made By A Fabricista: Which comes first – the fabric or the pattern?

Ah, the age old question garment sewers are often asked – do you choose the pattern first and then look for fabric, or do you buy fabric and then later decide what it will be when it grows up? If you are a sewist with a large fabric stash (like myself), then perhaps you are on Team Fabric. I would say I definitely lean that way, but there are also times when I land somewhere in the middle – I see a fabric and I think, I’ve just seen a pattern and these two would be perfect together! And that’s how gorgeous dusty rose stretch velvet and a recently released cardigan pattern came together to create the newest addition to my wardrobe. And had me improvising a few things along the way. First. I have to admit - I have a stretch velvet problem. I see it pop up on the website and I almost always grab it, especially if I see a sale. It’s not the easiest fabric to sew (it’s slippery as heck!), but I love it so much and I especially love using it in non-traditional ways. In my last blog post, I...

Made By A Fabricista: Simplicity 8847

Hi everyone, this is Byrd with my latest Fabricista make!  Is it too early to start thinking about Valentine’s Day? Because this fabric is giving all the heart vibes. With rich red hearts scattered across a dark base, it feels festive without being over-the-top—and completely wearable well beyond February. This time around, the fabric completely stole the show. I used a Dark Navy/Crimson/White Polyester/Lycra Hearts Print Brushed Sweater Knit by a NY Designer , and it was love at first sight. Even though it’s labeled navy, in person it reads more like a deep black base with these beautiful red hearts throughout. When you zoom in, you’ll also spot the designer’s name and a tiny smiley face woven into the print - such a fun, unexpected detail. This fabric immediately spoke my name when I saw it online, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. Before sewing, let’s talk fabric care and prep - because it matters. This sweater knit is wash and dry friendly, which makes it practical for e...