Thursday 5 August 2010

Simplicity dress - version two completed!

In my last post I promised a second version of Simplicity 2403 and here it is -

This dress started out with a piece of fabric at Metro Textiles (in New York), seized upon during my recent shopping trip there with Carolyn, Elizabeth and Opal (thanks to you all for your valuable input on my choice). There was only just over a yard left but I thought, that’s fine, it will make a very nice skirt and, at $5.00 for such a good quality piece of stretch cotton, it’s a bargain.

Later, (in New York Elegant Fabrics) I happened to chance upon a piece of cotton lawn that perfectly matched the aqua/mint shade in the print. So I thought, great, that will make a nice little blouse to go with the skirt. Next I found myself in M & J Trimmings and chanced upon some grosgrain ribbon that was exactly the same colour. And that’s when it came to me. Forget this separate skirt and blouse idea - why not use the Simplicity pattern I had just used for my last dress to combine both fabrics into a shirtwaist dress?

I have to say that when I got back to London my heart did sink a little at the prospect of making another version of this dress because (as I moaned in my last post) there is a lot of work with this pattern. However, my enthusiasm for the project overcame my reluctance. This time I decided that I wouldn’t have the tie belt but instead I sewed grosgrain ribbon onto the middle of the waistband before attaching it to the dress. I also decided to add the front ruffles that are one of the ‘designer additions’ included in the pattern.

Ah, yes, the ruffles. They nearly defeated me. The pattern has you cut four ruffle pieces and you’re supposed to narrow hem each of them, then place them one on top of each other in pairs – two for the left side and two for the right side. Now normally I’m not too bad at narrow hemming but the fabric was very fine and the pieces were small and the curves at the bottom were very curvy! Readers, it was horrible. I tried several times but in the end I just had four sad chewed up little rags – definitely not fit to be sewn down my front! Now, of course, I could have just binned the ruffles and gone without but I WANTED RUFFLES!!

Then it came to me. I cut four more ruffles but this time I sewed them together in pairs with the right sides together then turned them right sides out, pressed them and, voila, beautiful ruffles. So what I have is one double layered ruffle either side, rather than two single layer ruffles either side. Here’s a close up of the bodice –


So, there it is. Conceived in New York, fashioned (with a lot of faffing) in London - another dress came into the world and I like it quite a lot.

41 comments:

  1. I enjoy reading your blog and seeing all the lovely garments that you create, but this one is my FAVORITE! SO cute!! I've always wanted to take the time to make this, now you have motivated me to move it to the top of my list :-)

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  2. This is just the best, Love the combination of the two different fabrics. The colors are great, too. You look so beautiful.

    Trudy
    www.sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com

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  3. It looks perfect! Love the fabric combo! Very nice!

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  4. It's super cute! I love that turquoise with black - so interesting that you kept running into the same color. Every time I go looking for something to match a certain color I can't ever come up with the right shade. Great solution to your ruffle fiasco. Don't you think sewing is great for developing problem solving skills?

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  5. Great combo for a fantastic dress and cheers on the ruffles!

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  6. I'm so thrilled that I got to play a minor role in the birthing of this beautiful dress! I love how you took the turquoise in the print and made it a major player! That dress is just awesome!!!

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  7. Eugenia, this dress is gorgeous. It's amazing how things can come together. This time it certainly worked for you. That's a great fix for the ruffle problem.

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  8. What a great dress! I glad you persevered with the unruly ruffles!

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  9. I loved your remark about your "enthusiasm for the project helped overcome your reluctance". Well all of that enthusiasm helped created a well thought of and truly fashionable dress. I love the color combo's!!!!

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  10. It's a beauty... I think the single layer of ruffles go really well with the dress! I can't believe how well the ribbon matches. It's perfect!

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  11. Worth every bit of faffing about!

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  12. That's a very smart dress. Good sewing takes time, as this dress shows! Very nice.

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  13. I absolutely love this dress, particularly the combination of colours. I have the other PR dress pattern that is very similar to this. I do think I bought the wrong one - the button down version is so much nicer.

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  14. I love the skirt and top look of this dress that is so popular right now. And great idea on the ruffle fix. I hate narrow hemming, too, but have a rolled hem presser foot that helps a little.

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  15. Beautiful dress. Love the color combination. Thanks for sharing your technique for the ruffles.

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  16. Love it, a great combination of fabrics and a nice fix for the ruffles!

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  17. The turquoise looks lovely with black and white, what a great momento of your NY trip!
    Great ruffle solution, must keep that one in mind for the future.

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  18. i love the aqua color! It looks fantastic. Ruffles are definitely worth the ruffle!

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  19. This one is even better! I love it - and can tell all that work you put into the ruffles definitely paid off!

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  20. When you start a piece and it takes a lot of work, usually the end result is as large proportionately in satisfaction, this has happened with this dress, Congratulations, you've passed!!!

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  21. This dress turned out really, really pretty. I'm glad you persevere!

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  22. Hi,

    I just found your blog - I live in Berkshire, and it's so nice to see a few of these blogs in the UK - but my big question to you is, where do you get such great fabrics? I'm limited to Fabricland (not great), and John Lewis. Are there any good online fabric stores in the UK?

    Gaylene

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  23. Hi Gaylene - thanks so much for reading my blog and taking the time to comment. Re. fabric buying in the UK - one supplier that I like very much is Chrysalis Fabrics. This is a fabric club rather than an online store - you pay an annual fee and you get fabric swatches four times a year from which you can then order what you want. The selection of fabrics is very nice and the prices are pretty good. Their address is http://www.chrysalisfabrics.co.uk.
    I haven't found a UK based online store that I particularly like but I do order a lot of fabrics from Gorgeous Fabrics in the United States, their address is www.gorgeousfabrics.com - Ann ships to the United Kingdom and her fabric is always gorgeous! However you do have to pay for the shipping plus customs and taxes (if applicable).
    If you come into London then I would recommend shopping in the Goldhawk Road, in Shepherds Bush, there are quite a few fabric shops there and the prices are much lower than John Lewis. Happy sewing :)

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  24. Super cute and worth all the work. I really like the color combination.

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  25. Wow, I just love this!!! You are making me want to push that dress to the front of the line, even though I had planned it for later in fall. Just gorgeous!!!

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  26. I really like the outfit! This is my first time on your blog, and I really like it! I look forward to seeing more of your projects.

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  27. Such a clever idea to combine the two fabrics to make a gorgeous shirtdress! You are fortunate to find fabrics that complement each other and the ribbon with that same blue. I'm glad you did not skip the ruffles and thanks for the tip when I try this pattern someday. Your new shirtdress is a lovely memento of your experience in New York!

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  28. Oh, I really like this! The turquoise is a beautiful color on you and looks lovely with the black print. Definitely a winner!

    Btw, I'm already working on how to take that Burda skirt pattern and make it a wintery style. I'm thinking of redrafting it without the pockets and removing some of the width at the bottom to make it more of a straight skirt. I have two fabrics that are dying to become winter skirts so I have more motivation that I usually do when I cook up a new possible project. I'll keep you posted on what I come up with. :)

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  29. Sorry I'm so late to the comment party here. I love this dress. So beautiful. IT does sound like a lot of work though. But well worth it.

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  30. Gorgeous! Love the combination of fabrics and the ruffles.

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  31. I agree with everyone - you look fabulous. That dress is a home run for sure.

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  32. I just googled "faffing"- I must remember that word and add it to my American/English vocabulary!
    Your dress is beautiful - the combinations are extraordinary!! I am duly impressed.
    Now, I must return to faffing!!!

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  33. Hi Eugenia,
    thanks for the great fabric tips - my first Gorgeous Fabrics order is on its way! I love your Burda bow and ruffle skirt, and your latest dress. Looking forward to reading more of your sewing adventures!

    Gaylene

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  34. Oh gee- another pattern that "I have to get all because of a blog post"! That dress looks great. I've shopped with Elizabeth and Carolyn a couple of times before- funny how we, from 3 different countries, can have so much in common!

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  35. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and leaving such a nice comment about my skirt tutorial.

    http://sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com/2010/07/retro-skirt-of-my-own-design-with.html

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  36. This is absolutely adorable. I love it.

    Greetings from Denmark,
    Trine

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  37. I wonder if you might be able to help me? I’m a beginning sewer and have gotten stumped around the gathering step and the attachment of the yolk to the bodice back for Simplicity 2403. The bodice back extends 1 1/4″ longer on each side than the yoke to be flush at the shoulder. As they are straight lines, I’m having a very difficult time pinning the two pieces together without excessive bunching. The gathering seems straightforward to me as it brings the markers of the yolk and bodice back in line with each other, so I don’t think the problem is there.

    Is it just excessive pinning like the step where you put the bodice front and side together to create the bust allowance? I don’t think this is it as there was a generous curve to work with on that piece while the yolk and back are relatively straight lines. I also double checked to make sure I cut the right size of the two pieces, and I did. Any ideas?

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  38. Hi Sam. Thanks for stopping by. I have just gone back and taken a look at the original pattern pieces for this dress and no wonder you are confused because Simplicity have made an error in the placing of the notch on the top of the bodice back piece. Here's what you need to do. Ignore the notch at the top of the bodice back and draw a new one that is exactly the same distance from the armhole edge as the notch on the yoke back piece. the new notch will be about one and a quarter inches away from the original one. Then follow the instructions - i.e. gather the bodice back between the notches and sew to yoke matching the notches of the two pieces. You will now find that the yoke fits perfectly!
    It's definitely not your fault - it's the pattern that's wrong. Good luck with your dress. Do call back and let me know how it turns out.

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  39. HI Eugenia,

    I have been referring to both of your dresses made with this Simplicity 2403 and they inspired me when I was making mine...yes, it was A LOT of work. 20 pieces to trace and cut in total! Not a quick and easy pattern but totally worth it when it is done. I made view B with the notched collars, you can see it here

    http://sertyan.blogspot.com/2011/08/70s-inspired-shirt-dress-simplicity.html

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