I’ve finished a handmade dress. It’s dyed, printed and stitched together entirely by me.
This is a fitted tank dress, the pattern is from the book Alabama Studio Sewing + Design, by Natalie Chanin. I dyed shocking pink linen jersey knit to fortuitously achieve this rather nice, motley, deep raspberry pink, which I love, and the print is the Abbie’s Flower design from the same book, enlarged by hand and screen-printed in deep burgundy textile paint, all described here.
So. I should be pleased with it, but actually I’m teetering on not. I’m pleased it’s finished, let’s put it that way!
Actually I’m borderline depressed with it. See, I did have grand plans for further handwork and embroidery. Those plans came to nought.
I trialled several different embroidery and even beading ideas but everything I tried just looked awfully heavy-handed The size of my print is quite petite, and it’s also detailed and well defined and more than a bit busy, and so doesn’t really lend itself well to the embellished Alabama Chanin look, I think. Eventually, frustrated, I ceased diddling about, picked everything off, and just sewed it together.
Defeated.
So I was pretty over it even before the poor thing got sewn together. Probably why I shoved it into the cupboard and all but forgot about it until my recent wardrobe spring clean. Hey, new dress! Guess I should wear this thing, hmmm.
Also, I’m undecided that the tank dress silhouette is very flattering to me. It’s a funny thing really because I totally adore my long AC skirt and matching tank top worn together, a combination which one might argue could pass at a short distance for a tank dress just exactly like this. Somehow having the break between top and skirt is a huge improvement to my eye. As a dress, with a continuous unbroken fall of fabric from shoulder to hem; I dunno, I just don’t like it as much. It’s irrational and I can’t explain it.
This is why I’m probably always going to wear it with a little cardigan, as above.
It’s not out of the question that I’ll refashion this into a separate skirt and top one day. In the meantime I don’t mind it worn over my Metalicus petticoat like this. I’ll see how it goes for a while.
Maybe it’ll grow on me.
Details:
Dress; fitted tank dress from the book Alabama Studio Sewing + Design by Natalie Chanin, in linen jersey, hand- dyed, printed and stitched by me
Petticoat; Metalicus
Cardigan; Country Road
Thongs; Havaianas
Looks lovely as you are wearing it in the photos!!
I agree with Rianna, it does look lovely as you are wearing it. I seem to remember you saying in one of your blog posts that you liked either short or longer more interesting skirts, so maybe this dress is just not quite your length. I guess in the end it's how you feel wearing it. And maybe one day we will see a tank and short skirt 🙂
I think it is so pretty.
I love this colour- it is crazy awesome! I like this with the cardi and petticoat but for some reason I like the idea of a skirt and tank more. Side note- adorable puppy photo bomb!
I'm so impressed that you hand screen printed the fabric! It's lovely and flattering and cleverly handmade. Question…can you machine wash a garment like this?
thank you Gail! and yes, I chuck my other Alabama Chanin ensemble in the machine on a gentle cycle; and fully intend to treat this dress the same way! 🙂
Very pretty colour and I love it worn with the petticoat peeping out. Gorgeous and I'm sure it will grow on you.
Have you tried it with a belt to break it up a bit? Looks lovely, as the other commenters have said!
Absolutely lovely!
It looks great especially with the petticoat.
Well I think you look gorgeous! I love the colour, the workmanship, and yes, the shape. If you don't like the unbroken fall, have you tried a loose belt to break it up?
I think it looks great on you Carolyn, but it all cones down to how you feel wearing it.It would look just as good as separates, and would be more versatile. Whatever you choose to do, I'm sure it will still look gorgeous!
It likes gorgeous to me!
Oh my gosh…..this is stunningly beautiful. I have to learn how to do this. You have inspired me to knit a sweater, which I am working on right now. I love, love, love this color.
I love the color!! It would look great with a cropped jacket in a darker color for fall too! Maybe add some boots as well. 🙂
It's beautiful. Maybe this is the issue that you're noticing – the cut line of the tank-and-skirt breaks your body in a nice place? For me, although my waist is narrow in proportion to my body, it's a short waist and cuts my body higher than I love. A longer tank moves the emphasis down somehow?
That color is just luscious.
Well I love it! The color and design are gorgeous! Maybe the ease of wearing will change your mind…
🙁 I'm sorry you're not over the moon about this. I think it looks great! The color is just fantastic and I love all the handstitching!
Great color and craftsmanship. Trust your instincts about the overall effect. Your gut was right on about the boxy jacket below. It's telling you something now. Yes, a belt might achieve the shape definition you're missing. I'd leave out the (otherwise) pretty cardigan and petticoat for sure. The stark white lacy pieces nudge it toward Little House on the Prairie. You're a modern woman. This floral, curvy handmade design needs a modern edge to make it seem right for 2014. It's in the styling. Less prettified would look more modern. Edgy ankle boots? A shorter hem? A dark shrug? A stark cuff bracelet or necklace? This dress can definitely work.
Thanks Anonymous! I think less prettified is a good suggestion; I'm definitely giving it more thought… 🙂
Dress is beautiful colour. I like the way you've styled it but it might look pretty as a beachy piece with no petticoat and flip flops too. I see everyone has their own ideas when it comes to styling!!
I love the color and didn't notice the proportions until you mentioned it and I compared it to the tank/skirt combo.
Perhaps you can stitch a fake hem in a gently rounded shirt-tail or corset shape? Or give the dress an exoskeleton w/ corset-like seam lines?
I've been flipping between the raspberry dress and the two-piece camo (that's what that green print looks like to me) outfit to see if I could make any useful suggestions. It looks as though the pink dress hangs a bit differently which might be about the slip underneath, I can't tell. The photo of the green dress is nicer, but perhaps it's the lighting – or you just look more pleased to be wearing it. I see you put on some heels for that shot and that says something different to me than flip flops. One idea is to try styling the pink as though you love it more? The main idea that comes to my mind, though, is though it is a lovely colour, is it YOUR colour? I love quite a lot of green colours to bits but I've never found one that loves me back. I don't think the pink hates you, it looks O.K., but so many of your other colour selections, in spite of being colours I really don't like, they positively sing out how much they adore you and they look great! I'm thinking that raspberry might could do with being more burgundy or purple, sad as it would be to not have the raspberry any more. For some reason raspberry says more autumn to me. What about trying some brown accessories to counter the sweetness of the pink? Someone mentioned early about modern accessories, I'm thinking your dress could use some toughening up. Wearing prints after you leave school is really a tricky area, I think, which is why I chicken out and tend to stick to plain colours. I love sewing with floral fabrics, but I don't wear them except perhaps in a scarf. Imogen on InsideOut Style translates some of the language of prints, maybe that will give you some information. And there is, as you mentioned, the option of chopping the dress in two, to see if that works better. I do hope you find a way to love this dress more, you've put so much effort into it. Then again, if you find a principle about what does or doesn't work that you can apply in future, it won't have been wasted. You can always make that fabric into a bag or something. Whatever you figure out about the dress, I hope you'll share it so we can all learn!
thank you Shelley, and I think you are right about the need for "toughening up". The more I look at my pictures here the more I'm cringing at how awful I look!
I love your tank dress, and think it looks great on you, BUT, not with the white cardigan, or the white slip. As odd as it sounds to say the dress is a little plain, despite the screened print, the long, slip-like line does seem to call for something more. As you know, Natalie Chanin often puts another garment under her tunics and tank dresses, with the wavy edge showing 2-3", just as yours does. I think yours would work better if the ruffled edge was made of the same knit fabric, and if it were a contrasting color, such as navy. See, for example, http://www.pinterest.com/pin/264375440600661748/ I predict that you will change your mind about this dress, because it really is beautiful.
Thanks Ann, I really like the idea of putting navy with it… you've given me great food for thought. Thank you 🙂
Hand-dyed, hand-stitched…? What's not to love about that? It's so frustrating that time spent does not always yield the payoff we want. Still, I really love this dress and I think it looks fantastic on you. You like to wear a cardigan on top. Ever thought of a t-shirt underneath, say, red and yellow stripes? Or hoist the sides like blinds with suspender clips or ties for a balloon pouf and wear leggings with it? Just thinking out loud here… I am gobsmacked by your talent no matter what you do with it.
Thanks so much Melanie! I love your idea of hoisting the sides up… cool! I should starting employing "what would Melanie do" in my styling more often 🙂
I'm sorry to hear you're not happy with this as I think its lovely. You've had some great suggestions for ways to style it, I hope you come to love it.
All handmade! I can not believe it ! anyway it's a great dress. BRAVO !
Wow, you are one tough critic! I love the color of the dress and especially the whole color palette of the photo with the dress and the wall and your dog. I like Ann's thoughts about pairing the dress with another color. Navy is a good suggestion, but another thought is the color scheme of the photo. Don't even know what to call the other color; umber? Very unexpected but also very you.
It is beautiful, I am glad you found it and shared it with us. I truly hope it grows on you. I know when I feel a similar way about something I have just created, a little time apart allows me to forget just how frustrated it made me feel.
I love it. I've wanted to try my hand with AC and yours is inspiring.
despite not being totally thrilled with the dress, i think it looks great! all that handwork is beyond impressive to me, i love seeing these AC pieces made up. hope this finds a place in your wardrobe!
This is a beautiful dress and I am thrilled with it even if you're not! It would look gorgeous with tights and boots for winter, although that is not helpful with summer coming. I think it may look better without the petticoat and with those lovely, plain, leather sandals that are appearing in the shops at vast prices. They are so simple looking, you could probably make some!
thanks Megan! I really like the idea of it with tights and boots, now that you've suggested it! I wish I'd thought of it during winter 🙂
Some great suggestions above! I think it is a beautiful dress and you look lovely. But like someone else said, once you linked to the other AC project, I'm compelled to flip back and forth with the tank/skirt combo.
Two things strike me:
First is the proportion and color of the print in the skirt & tank combo. The larger print and lighter color of the embellishment make the eye travel up and down the body (well, that sounds bad, you know what I mean!), whereas with this dress I feel like my eye just settles right at hip level. Maybe that's why the white cardigan and petticoat work for you, they draw the eye up to your face and down to your legs, adding movement and height to the ensemble. I'm noticing too the dark leaves draw my attention at hip level on the raspberry dress. I read that you experimented with embellishment and found the print too busy (I can see why), but I wonder if it would be possible to do some of the AC style cutwork or beading to just the neckline and hemline, especially to draw the eye to your face. Or maybe some kind of sweeping up from the hemline on one side, grading fading out to make an ombre effect? Heck, maybe even just painting the neck & arm bands the darker color would add the bit of pop you're missing?
The other thing I can't quite reckon is the weight of the fabric. I wonder if the stitching and extra layer of fabric just give the skirt and tank that much more structure. Someone mentioned a little more edge to the styling, I wonder if adding some structured lines to balance the flowiness of this dress would make you more happy.
It was really fun to think about this. Thanks for being open to opinions from the masses! Love your work, dahling!
Sula, thanks so much for an in-depth and thoughtful analysis! I think you are absolutely right about the reasons why I decided to put the petticoat and cardi with it. I'm definitely taking a lot away to think about from everyone's suggestions. Thank you! 🙂
I think your dress looks beautiful and you look great in it. I do hope it does grow on you because it really is very pretty.
Wow, what a gorgeous color. I love the cardigan with it, but am not crazy about the petticoat underneath. It's so full, it bumps out the dress in the front – around mid thigh to your knees. Have you tried it without the petticoat on? Maybe you'll like it better. If not, I have every confidence in you that you will refashion it to your liking. Thank-you for sharing another great make.
You are the one who has to like it, but I don't know why you don't because it is a sweet dress and I think it is beautiful worn with the petticoat and cardigan.
Such a beautiful colour and I love the print. I think a big belt at the hips would make it perfect. I have a chunky plaited leather Moroccan one and wear it with lots of plainer dresses. It kind of breaks things up. I finally spotted you down south, looked up to from scraping kids off playground to see a lovely patchwork skirt I recognised, a bobbly white top and if there was any doubt then your dog!
aw, thanks so much Lucy! of course I remember the day and walking past the playground well. It was quite busy that day! I hope you're enjoying the school holidays 🙂
Gosh, it looks gorgeous and what workmanship involved! Is it a case of needing some space between you and it out do you definitely not like it? Would a low slung belt (I'm imagining plaited tan leather) and matching boots help? Maybe with a wide brimmed hat? Rachel ☺ p.s love the dog's smile in the last photo!
Its so frustrating when a project does not meet one's inner vision. I hope your very tough artistic self critic can revisit the dress with more kindly thoughts, it looks an amazingly beautiful creation from here. All that work in hand screen printing! hand stitching! Unpicking hand embellishment! I am wincing in sympathy.
So sorry to hear of the frustration with this dress after all the glorious work you have done with the printing and hand stitching. I hope you can find a way to get this to work.
Carolyn, the dress is amazing! Good heavens – you did everything but weave the fabric! BUT, if I were your BFF, I would have to say "take it off!" I think the white sweater, ruffle and flip flops really kill it but somehow it just doesn't look like you. Belt? Shorten it? Make it 2 pieces? Boots? Certainly worth a redo of some sort after all that work – can't wait to see the final result! Martha Ann
I know the important thing is for you to feel good in it, and you have gotten lots of great suggestions for restyling and reworking; but all I can say is that I think this dress is absolutely beautiful.
Two more cents on the topic… I think the continuous look is great on you and looks long and lean. I prefer that to the look w/ the cardigan buttoned up. Everyone has their own taste, but the dress does look great on you in my opinion. And a big BRAVO for finishing the project. One thing you might try is the Alabama Chanin poncho to go over it… it is super easy – 30 min project and looks great. I think the pattern is in the same book. I get lots of compliments and it may look great w/ the dress.
You are inspiring! Trying my hands and clumsy fingers on my first AC tank. Love your color choices. It might not be a summer option, but have you considered a sage green or grey petticoat? Congratulations on an awesome dress!
Your Alabama Chanin Raspberry dress is absolutely stunning! I hope you’ve found love for her since because she is just gorgeous!