Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Every day Dress


I used Simplicity 2702. I thought this was cute and wanted a simple, easy to wear, easy to make, cool dress for summer. Well, I think I probably got the easy to wear and cool for summer, but somehwere along the line, this dress lost the cute factor.

From Summer 09


Maybe I needed to add the pockets. Maybe I should have stayed with one fabric and done the beading, Maybe I just need a different body type! There are probably some things I could do to make this look better, but its good enough for now. I wanted a dress that I could wear around the house and look decent if I need to go to the store or something. This will work. Unfortunately, the linen is light weight, and I think I will have to wear a slip with it.


Although I don't particularly like the look of the dropped shoulder on me, I do like the way these sleeves are constructed. This is the underarm:


On the inside, the sleeve seams are enclosed with bias tape and top stitched from the right side.
From Summer 09


I don't know why, but I have yet to master this type of neckline. The outside corner thing always ends up with a pucker for me. I understand HOW to do it, and WHAT I should do, I just can't seem to execute it. I may have to make this stupid thing again just so I can conquer that neck band!
From Summer 09

From Summer 09

11 comments:

Gail said...

Can I suggest that you try it with a belt. Why not make an obi belt from the contrast fabric?

gwensews said...

I agree. A belt may be just right to add a little shape. There are a lot of these free-flowing type dresses among the blogs. It seems everyone is wearing a belt with their full-type dress.

zora said...

I don't think it's bad, not at all. Try adding the pockets though, and maybe use the fabric you used on the neckline.

NancyDaQ said...

I agree with the belt suggestion, although that will affect the "coolness" factor. Perhaps if you put a little curve in the sideseams to indicate a waist? Anyway--it's cute and will be a nice dress for the purpose you described.

BConky said...

I'm jumping on the bandwagon, it needs a belt. It's just so big in the waist and hips that it needs to be pulled in. I think even just a simple tie belt out of the contrast fabric would be cute.

Nancy Winningham said...

Yes, this dress SEEMS like it needs a belt. However, I tried it with several belts and belt widths before I took these pictures. It looked worse. I think I am going to try taking in the side seams. And I don't really have enough of the contrast fabric to make a belt. I'm going to do some pin=adjusting today.

Myra said...

I think it looks great for what you said you wanted it for, a "house dress" (there's the dreaded words!) I think we all have a funny love/hate relationship about the house dress - I have until recently since that's all mom wore while we were growing up and still does sometimes. Take the sides in a bit and it will be better. I love the pattern, I have a vintage girls dress pattern that has that type of sleeve.

Meg said...

I agree with you, Nancy, that a belt would look worse. I think it meets just fine your criteria for a summer dress to wear around the house and to the store.

christina said...

I love the sleeves as well - I think it looks great!

Vicki said...

The first thing I noticed was the length. The cute factor on the pattern is the length. Because yours is longer it has too much fabric from neck to hem. I really like what you have done on the neckline and appreciate you won't want to go much shorter (I wouldn't) so alas, it won't be as cute. But it still looks good - especially for a hot day around the house. And very wearable out but just not cute as you hoped. Bugger this getting older...sigh

Cecilia said...

This one is really very cute and beautiful dress for summer time... Nice choice of fabric...