B5315 - Inspired by Kate Spade "Jeanette" Striped Dress

    After anthropologie clothing , my next favorite clothing is by Kate Spade--well, she and  Nanette Lepore run neck and neck with each other.  I can't afford either one, but I can try and sew knockoffs.  A few months ago, I saw this ad for Kate Spade's "Jeanette" Striped dress and just knew I would have to attempt to replicate it at some point.  

   

Isn't this the cutest print ad ever?!?!?!

As I was picking out fabric for my birthday last August, I found some that would work.  It is not exactly like the Kate Spade fabric, but it is very close.  My fabric is a silk charmeuse stripe from denverfabrics.com and has less white in it.  Unlike alot of silk charmeuse fabrics, this fabric was not slippery at all to work with.  It was backed with a white lining-type fabric that gave it body and made it easy to handle.  

wrong side of fabric                                                                   

     I chose Butterick 5315-View A as my pattern.  It is a shirtdress pattern but with a slightly different collar and sleeves from the original Kate Spade dress.  The Kate Spade dress has pointed collar whereas B5315 View A has a round collar.  Also, the Butterick pattern has capped sleeves instead of regular short shirt sleeves.  

Kate Spade "Jeanette" Dress

B5315

The pattern was very simple to make and I followed the instructions exactly with no alterations.  Because of the brightness of the dress I chose to wear a peach patent bow belt from Forever 21 and light yellow patent shoes from Payless.  I also chose clear shirt buttons so that they would not compete with the colorful fabric.

The most difficult decision what what to topstitch the front placket with.  I used peach rayon machine embroidery thread.

belt

front

back

Happy Sewing!!

S2886: Easter Dress Inspired by anthropologie

    In case you haven't figured it out by now, I really LOVE anthropologie, but I really don't love their prices.  Yet again, I was perusing their website a few months back and came across this lovely floral sundress that they called the "Verdant Slip Dress."

It came in two colorways, a teal and a mint green.  As is usually the case, I began obsessively looking for some similar fabric and a pattern that would work to make an inspired version.  The interesting thing about this dress is the back bodice, which is shirred.  However, replicating that feature was not important to me.  I just wanted a dress with the general shape and similar fabric.  

However, if you are interested in shirring, Gertie has a fabulous tutorial on her blog.  After much searching, I finally found the perfect fabric at denverfabrics.com.  It is a mint green rayon challis with a very similar floral print to the anthro dress.  It appears they have sold out of it, or I would link to it.    I used Simplicity 2886, View B (the blue floral print dress on the pattern envelope)  because the bodice is very similar to the front bodice of the Verdant Slip Dress and the straps are spaghetti straps.  Also, the back bodice calls for elastic at the top so that you get a gathered effect, ever so slightly similar to the shirring.  This dress was super easy to sew up and I did not have to make any alterations.  This seems to have been the case lately for me on Simplicity dresses--I hope it continues.  

S2886

front

back

How I wore it to church on Easter: 

Cardigan: thrifted

mint green patent bow belt"  Forever 21

Eggplant "suede" Shoes: Payless (closeup below)

Necklace Earrings:  Avon (gift from my mother from years ago)

HAPPY SEWING and a belated HAPPY EASTER!!!

V8728 - Gray Knit Dress

I bought Vogue 8728 when it first came out during one of BMV's pattern sales.

   For some reason this pattern intimidated me a little, and I don't scare easily when it comes to sewing.  However, I let it sit in my stash for awhile.  I think it is the gathering on the front that scared me a little and the possibility that it could very easily turn out too large on top.  

   The fabric suggestion for the dress is either knit or woven.  I decided to use a silvery gray polyester knit purchased at fabric.com several months ago.  After looking at the finished bust measurement, I made a size smaller than I usually make.  I dangerously cut into my fabric without making a muslin.  I really never make muslins for knit dresses, unless I am working with expensive fabric--this fabric was not.  I was perplexed a little by the instructions for this pattern.  The directions indicate that in order to attach the bodice to the midriff (and the midriff to the skirt) you should fold under the seam allowance and topstitch them together.   I could not see why I couldn't just place right sides together and sew the seam as usual, so that is what I did.  It worked with no problem.  The only thing I can figure out about the strange instructions is that it must be some sort of vintage sewing technique since this is a reissue "Vintage" Vogue pattern.  

    The neckline is bound using a bias strip cut from the fabric  I usually battle a little with bias neck bindings, but this one went on easily.  I think the knit fabric has just the right stretch for making it easy.  Also,  I did a baby hem. I just serged the edge and turned it under, stitched it, turned it under again,  and stitched it again.  

left side of picture:  inside hem

right side of picture:  outside hem

This dress was truly very easy to make and very quick, particularly in light of my intimidation by it in the beginning.  I wore it to work today.

front

Yellow patent bow belt:  Forever 21

Shoes: Victoria's Secret (old as dirt)

back

shoe closeup

Until next time, Happy Sewing!!