This wasn’t actually supposed to be a real dress. I was playing about. I have to confess to a few struggleswith my fabric… that had a mind of its own and a recalcitrant disposition. If fabrics can be anthropomorphised;
this fabric would be a will o’ the wisp, absent-minded girl with a head full of
poems and fairy tales and dreams, given to wandering barefoot on sunkissed
white beaches and forgetting that her library books were due back.
But it has been coaxed into a coolly flitter-y
flutter-y dress, which I think it wanted to be all along in its heart of hearts.
flutter-y dress, which I think it wanted to be all along in its heart of hearts.
This is the Loose Flare Drape Dress; pattern no.11 from the
Japanese pattern book Drape Drape by Hisako Sato.
Japanese pattern book Drape Drape by Hisako Sato.
The fabric is a very lightweight, very soft, pale grey
marle jersey knit, part of a massive quantity I bought from the Morrison
remnants sale. A fabric I picked
up because I liked the soft cloudy-grey colour and the slightly fuzzy texture,
but was actually extraordinarily flimsy and difficult to work with. It clings and flutters and slips all at
the same time, it is very drape-y and almost sheer. It likes to curl up tightly on itself, and the sketchy “stripe”
in the fabric is whimsically slanted at a slight diagonal.
marle jersey knit, part of a massive quantity I bought from the Morrison
remnants sale. A fabric I picked
up because I liked the soft cloudy-grey colour and the slightly fuzzy texture,
but was actually extraordinarily flimsy and difficult to work with. It clings and flutters and slips all at
the same time, it is very drape-y and almost sheer. It likes to curl up tightly on itself, and the sketchy “stripe”
in the fabric is whimsically slanted at a slight diagonal.
But happily ever after et cetera; the thin floatiness
of the fabric is a near perfect match for this pattern… I’m thinking of
rustling up a halter-neck bra to wear with it, but in the meantime it’s being stoushed
in the beach-bag to do duty as a cover up.
of the fabric is a near perfect match for this pattern… I’m thinking of
rustling up a halter-neck bra to wear with it, but in the meantime it’s being stoushed
in the beach-bag to do duty as a cover up.
It may even stay there if I don’t get around to the
halter bra, since it is just the right shape and style to go over my
bathers. And it is so ethereally summery; a
flattering and exceptionally easy-to-wear dress, edgily short and cute-ly
flippy.
halter bra, since it is just the right shape and style to go over my
bathers. And it is so ethereally summery; a
flattering and exceptionally easy-to-wear dress, edgily short and cute-ly
flippy.
The dress is an A-line halter neck dress with a wide
and swing-y skirt; and a full length, full skirted lining for which I used the
same fabric. The loose flare piece
referred to in its title is a separate piece attached in with the halter neck
at the left side and sewn into the armhole, to flow free and loose across the
front of the dress.
and swing-y skirt; and a full length, full skirted lining for which I used the
same fabric. The loose flare piece
referred to in its title is a separate piece attached in with the halter neck
at the left side and sewn into the armhole, to flow free and loose across the
front of the dress.
This piece is what makes the whole dress, of
course. The extra piece is a very
simple idea, and it swishes and flutters so prettily against the dress.
course. The extra piece is a very
simple idea, and it swishes and flutters so prettily against the dress.
The only adjustment I made to the pattern was to
leave off the zip and just to sew up the side seam. Well, it’s stretch fabric. I’m currently of the opinion that zips in a stretch garment
are a complete waste of money, time and effort.
leave off the zip and just to sew up the side seam. Well, it’s stretch fabric. I’m currently of the opinion that zips in a stretch garment
are a complete waste of money, time and effort.
Naturally I reserve the right to change that opinion
any time it suits me.
any time it suits me.
The fabric isn’t the only one here subject to
whimsy.
whimsy.
Details:
Dress; the loose flare drape dress, pattern no.11 from
Drape Drape by Hisako Sato, made of lightweight grey marle jersey knit
I love it. I sigh looking out my grey, rain-streaked windows at the sight of your summery beach-going in a flippy knit dress. It's nice to know parts of the world still have sunshine.
So I am not the only one with a few lenghty additions to the stash courtesy of Morrison! Your dress looks fabulous and the perfect match of fabric and pattern.
Thanks JenC! Yup, those Morrison remnant sales are a great way to double your stash overnight, yes? 😉
That's a great match – drapy style and whimsical fabric for a breezy summer's day.
With your PM experience, is Drape Drape next step or just another 'chapter' in pattern construction?
Love the dress.
Uber Love! The dress, the dress on you, and your interpretation of it….and of course the soothing, delightful photo shoot 🙂
That is really lovely and I think perfect for a beach cover up… I do love me a halter! No doubt you'd always either beat fabric into submission or coax it gently but either way you bring out the best in it!
Loving that wispy look, like a gentle breezy day at the beach.
How pretty. It just makes me think of summer!
Beautiful! And so perfect for a day at the beach.
This would make an absolutely fantastic beach cover up but it would also be fantastic as a lightweight dress with a pair of strappy sandals for a barbeque by the pool.
I love your description of the fabric as a person. 🙂
Carolyn, your dress is beautiful!!! Zips in stretch are def a waste of time! Oh you have such great photos as well….
Lovely dress – and in my favourite colour. Fantastic description of the material – made me smile! The beach looks wonderful.
We live about an hour away from the beach(s) – lots to choose from!! My favourite is at Wilson's Prom – but haven't been there in lots of years! We do have the Hazelwood pondage 5 mins away – but it's not as pretty. ( the pondage is a cooling pond for the Hazelwood Power Station instead of cooling towers)
Oh stop it Carolyn!! You are just creating a diabolical need for this book for me…. noooooo….
🙂
Wow! What a beautiful, blue sky day! And you look positively ethereal in this dress. I looks so light and soft. Beautiful!
Thank you!
velosewer: drape drape is just like a regular Japanese pattern book in that it has all the patterns printed on big sheets inside the book, and you trace them off a la Burdastyle. Pattern Magic is kinda different from all the others in that respect: in the case of all three PM books you have to draft your own patterns after creating your own custom fit sloper. I consider PM to be a much bigger challenge than drape drape. 🙂
Carolyn, thanks for the tip about my blog. I've checked the settings and they are still on open … I haven't changed them so I'm not sure what is going on. Hmmm
This dress is wonderful. I love your description of it too!
Watching your pics, without reading anything, two ideas come to mind:
You look like a stylish Brooke Shields in the Blue Lagoon
That is an impossibly awesome blue sky.
I love the simple elegance of the dress. Love it!
Hehe, Merche, thank you for that awesome compliment!! I am nearly the same age as Brooke Shields 😉 but I was not allowed to see Blue Lagoon when it came out, Mum and Dad thought it was too racy!
Cool dress. Impossibly beautiful location. Cute pup. Does everything you make look great on you? I'm envious on all counts.
Love that colour. You must be glad your patience paid off; not sure mine would stretch that far. Your description of the fey girl sounds just like my step-son's last girlfriend… Lovely girl but frustrating to be around.
Oh fun!! I like the fluttery bit in the front. Fluttery bits make one feel cooler, no?
Nice work, C! I've wondered what this dress would look like in real life as I've thought it was a very fancy design. I like how you made it up in jersey though (I don't understand why they include zips in all of the jersey garments – just odd) for a more comfortable look. A fancy beach coverup indeed!
Lovely and so wishing I was there on that beach today instead of staring at the the rain. perfect fabric choice.
Perfect beach dress, but then I can see it worn for other occasions, it is so lovely.
Your tall willowy figure creates a pleasing look to the eye in this garment! Sorry for me – I would just look a bit toadish trying to wear this style.
Mmm, that dress sounds like me, or at least who I was until about 30. I love how you describe fabric. I can feel it in my hands as I read.
I don't know if that came out right–I meant the fabric–"absent-minded head full of poems" (quite literally that was me). Not the idea that the dress was youthful. It's gorgeous on you! I can't wait to get my hands on one of these books.
I always think items like this are unlikely to work in real life. As usual, you prove me wrong 😉
I saw you comment on my 'gored skirt tutorial'. The purple skirt is here: http://petitmainsauvage.blogspot.nl/2010/03/purple-skirt-from-leftovers.html
Obviously, the one of the points of the tutorial is to show how easy it can be to draft a skirt you like, to your size, just by altering the number of gores (at least 6 in total, but more is always possible), their length, the amount and shape of the flare and the height at which it kicks out. So, I'm looking forward to see what you will make of it!
Oh my word. Summer in one dress!
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