Scoop Back with Bias Tape

So I've got something to say...and be prepared...it's a pretty bold statement: I think this new dress may just be the absolute favorite thing I've made yet.

It's self drafted - modified from the pattern I used for Lisi Loo's Christmas and Easter dresses.  This is really the second one I made, but I just love it so much that it got bumped to the front of the "to blog" list.

The fabric is a blue mid-weight chambray - heavier than a shirting but lighter than home decor.  The stripes are bias tape top stitched, straight across the front, then angled up in the back.

The skirt is pleated.  Of course it is.  I use a super easy cheater method for pleating a skirt that is far less frustrating and slightly less time consuming than gathering.  It would never hold up to a tape measure, but I figure no  one's going to be chasing around my toddler with a tape measure so it works for me.  I'm sure I'm not the first inventor, but I did come to the process on my own.  If anyone's interested, I wouldn't mind trying my hand at a tutorial - just let me know.

I have considered, time to time, trying my hand at PDF pattern design.  To say the amount of work entailed is daunting would be an understatement, but this dress...this dress makes me feel like I'm selfish if I keep it to myself.  A bit dramatic?  Absolutely!  ha!  But I'm hoping you can read through the drama to my point.  If any dress is going me make me take the plunge, this is it.  

Any interest?

A Yellow Tuileries

It's warming up here, and warm weather means dresses.  And dresses are definitely on my brain (and my sewing machine!) lately.  First up is a new Tuileries.  So springy, so sweet.

What I like about this pattern is that it so nicely walks that line between feminine and pretty and playful and youthful.  It's a pretty dress, but it's also playable - not too precious.  Although you could definitely make it dressy simply with your fabric choices.  In fact, this is the pattern I used for one of Lisi Loo's Easter dresses.

Like that one, I fully lined this dress (the pattern only calls for a lined bodice) and used an exposed zipper again.

The fabric was from an estate sale and once I got it home and washed I forgot why I grabbed it.  I feel like it would be very easy to misstep into "homemade" territory, but I think with this dress pattern it just feels sweetly vintage.  (Note to self: take more close-up fabric detail shots!)  If you have any other pattern suggestions, please pass them on because I have yards and yards left still!

In an attempt at making sure it was a little more professional looking I made the floppy bow (similar to this top - which was in very heavy rotation all winter, by the way!) with some perfectly matching sweater scraps. To my eye, it worked.  The only other change I made was when I attached the skirt.  The pattern calls for a pleating and gathering, but I just evenly pleated the skirt all the way around.  Of course I did.

Now sister's got a sweet new spring dress perfect for pretty and play.  And book-nics.