I love working out convoluted construction puzzles in the process of sewing something and this new dress ticked that box very nicely.
It looks kinda plain upon first glance, but it’s actually based upon a very unusual twisted design by Anita, of Studio Faro.
And now I have to apologise right here because I’ve just searched forever for the design on Anita’s blog to link to it, and I find I did not even pin it… so I cannot. I’m sorry! but I’m pretty sure I saw the sketch for the pattern piece on either Anita’s blog, studio faro well-suited, or her Facebook page.
Later edit; thanks to Emily I found it, Anita’s original design is here.
Anyway. In making it, I realised it was just like an infinity scarf, but in dress form. Unique!
And, my dress is fully reversible! with all the seam allowances enclosed and tucked away neatly between the two layers of the dress. The construction technique to make it reversible is one that I worked out myself and not something I’ve ever seen in any pattern or design before. This was the part of it that kept me on my toes, brainstorming a way to make it happen. I’m super chuffed that it did work out. π
In my initial plans; it was not going to be a reversible design and I wanted to use double-sided fabric for my dress, but the only ones I could find were kinda expensive, and much as I craved the actualisation of that idea I just couldn’t justify the cost… economy can often be the mother of invention, non? Eventually I settled with a double layered dress using two lightweight fabrics, and then while I was fiddling about with the two layers I realised I could actually make it a completely reversible dress, meaning I could wear it inside out just as easily … and ta da! this is the result!
Right way out; I wanted the white at the front and red at the back. The way the infinity twist goes; the dress is actually mostly open at the right side seam, but the way it crosses over there is a restriction in the drape of the hemline so that it sits with the opening closed quite securely; and there is absolutely no danger of the drape falling open and exposing your knickers at all. I tried to move and sit in it a few times to see if I could possibly get humiliated from any hint of exposure in the dress and am happy to say I could not make it happen.
The one single pattern piece looks like this, and you rotate the “upside-down” part around clockwise and up, to lie over on the “right-side up” part. This naturally forms an infinity-twisted drape at the side, and the wrong side of the fabric against the right side, front and back.
Any straight or sheath dress design could be used to get this pattern piece; I used my old standby Burda 8511 as my sheath dress sloper. It’s one I’ve made enough times over the years to have tweaked and fiddled with it enough to have fine-tuned the fit to my pear-shaped self just about perfectly.
By the way; if you’re at all interested in creating your own pattern manipulations like this one, and this goes for just about all the Pattern Magic designs too; my recommendation is make a sturdy, fabric sloper. It’s a good idea to have one for a sheath dress, a bodice and possibly a skirt too. You could use a well-fitting, tried and true pattern like this one, if you have one; in any case get a basic pattern and make up a few samples to fine-tune your fit. Once you’ve fiddled and diddled enough to discover the perfect adjustments for you; get some strong fabric that’s not going to rip or fray easily, like an old sheet… these often have the most fabulously high thread count making them super-tough! Then cut out your perfectly-fitting pattern pieces. Using a clear, easy-to-see marking pen of some sort, mark on the sloper pieces the waist line, hipline, bust points, back dart points, the straight grainline and the bias grainlines going both ways. I used bright red marking pen. This sloper can be kept rolled up with your patterns for whenever you have new ideas and want to play about with making new designs for yourself π
Why fabric, not paper? well obviously so you can baste it together and put it on! wearing a paper version of a thing is absolutely nothing like the real fabric thing, we all know that! Paper has zero drape, plus it rips all too easily π
The middle, joining piece goes from the waist to the hemline. I left off all shaping darts, so the “dress” portion is a kinda shapeless sack, a base-point which I think is a good criteria for a double layered reversible design. I also cut it so that I can just slip the dress over my head, eliminating the need for a zip. Obviously that feature is essential in a reversible dress too!
I used a lovely rayon crepe from Fabulous Fabrics, in red and white, and needed 1.8m of 150cm wide fabric in each colour. Having the nice wide fabric meant I could cut my pieces on-grain and with no joining seams in the pieces.
The white is quite sheer, and just about all seam finishes except for French looked absolutely dreadful underneath it; so after a bit of experimenting I went with seam allowances done like this:
Firstly I stitched the seam allowances with a regular 1.5cm(5/8″) seam allowance. Pressed to set it, pressed open to get the crease set, then pressed back closed again. Secondly stitched a second pass of stitching just inside the seam allowance. Lastly, trimmed the seam allowance to an even narrow width. This should be pretty secure and stable with the double stitching. And the “ghost” of this seam allowance as it appears showing on the white outside looks quite nice, almost like a French seam.
By the way, I did consider trying to do actual French seams in this dress for about a hot minute, before I got sensible and realised in that way insanity lies and I would be tearing my hair out and frothing at the mouth in no time at all…. in any case, the reversibility of my construction technique means that all my seam allowances are enclosed with the two layers of the dress, so there’s no danger of any seam allowance coming out on view anyway. The ultimate in neat-looking insides, yay!
There are only three bits of almost invisible hand-stitching closing the layers: the two inside shoulder seams, and a short length on the inside hanging drape; through which I pulled the entire dress in the very last step before closing it up.
The drape can be adjusted to sit in different ways; like pulled completely through to the front as in the top picture. I also like it pull it back through on itself a little bit, and have it sitting more balanced. It does look nice like this, but it does eventually tend to slip naturally back into its default position, probably because my fabric is quite slithery and slippery. If it were made up in linen, which is more “grabby”, it would probably hold a different position better.
The dress does have a front and a back, the only way to tell them apart is by holding it up at the shoulders so you can see the lower scoop of the front neckline. However I can wear it with a red front and a white back if I like by pulling it inside out and wearing it with the lining side out… hello, reversibility for the win! Below is the dress worn in reverse; i.e., with the “lining” on the outside. It doesn’t look that different to if the dress was worn back to front, just in small details. Unless you looked closely at the shoulders and saw that they were hand-stitched closed, you probably couldn’t tell this was the inside of the dress!
Although I really like how the dress looks, I’m not completely happy with some of my construction in this one… I found to my cost that one majorly important aspect is to make sure that the two outer, left side-seam edges are exactly, and I mean exactly the same length!! This is the boo boo I made; mine were out by a mere 1cm, which was enough to put my side seam out by a touch, so it hangs a weeny bit too wibbly-wobbly for my taste. So I’m thinking of this one as a kind of prototype or wearable muslin, and want to make another “proper” one for myself, although I will wear this one a lot too.
Maybe if I make it again I’ll do a proper tute on how it all goes together, reversibly.
Maybe.
Details:
Dress; a variation on Burda 8511 and based upon a design idea of Anita from studio faro; in red and white rayon crepe
Sandals; Zomp, from Zomp shoes
Hi Caroline
It's a Moebius dress! It's brilliant.
I've found a site called Studio Faro, I think she's based in or near Melbourne, who does patterns like this. plus the odd Erte.
If you haven't already found it (and, lord knows, it's just as likely I did through your blog), then it's well worth checking out.
Hello, I think maybe you didn't notice, but this design IS one I saw on Anita's site… I have written about another dress I made based on one of her designs previously on my blog too, if you wish you can read about that dress here. I agree, her site is wonderful and well worth checking out. π Carolyn
I've followed Studio Faro for a year or more, I hadn't realised she was Australian!
You are genius! I like the design of your dress, and the idea of making it completely reversible with two thin layers. It is such a lovely dress with a very interesting twist.
crazy cool!
Very clever, and yet lovely too. Well done!
It took me a while to figure out how you did this and I think I get it! It is very cool, striking and sophisticated!
Wow! This is amazing! I love it.
Oh my gosh I love this. Simple and elegant, but possibly not so simple in the construction! If you did a tutorial I would be very interested.
How cool is that?! A reversible dress! And the dreape is just great. Love the idea and your realization! π
Wow, it's Incredible!
Very nice! You look great in it.
Soooo interesting. I think it looks really elegant. Jo x
This is so interesting! I love seeing the patterns you experiment with. They're definitely outside my usually realm of sewing, and they're a great source of inspiration. And thanks for clueing me in to Studio Faro. Awesome blog.
Very nice! Is the dress you based it on maybe this one? This was one of the first things I ever pinned from her; I'll get around to making it someday…
http://studiofaro-wellsuited.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/pattern-puzzle-paper-twist-tunic.html
Thank you Emily; and no, that wasn't it, but the link you provided did go to Anita's old blog, which is where the design is and I did manage to find it there at last; hurrah! and have now put the correct link in my post. Thank you so much for that! I had forgotten she had the new blog now π
Wow Carolyn, I think you may start a fashion revolution with this dress, it's just amazing. What a great stashbuster too. I wonder what I could make one from? Please, please do a tutorial! How cool is Anita's blog? I think I'll be spending a lot of time there soaking up ideas that I don't have time to put into practice.
That is gorgeous and looks so tricky to make! I want to try it anyway, though. π
This is genius.
This is just too cool! What a fun puzzle to figure out.
Wow looks so amazing! I will definitely try to do this myself! Love the idea!
xx
L & A
http://la610wayoflife.blogspot.de
This is so interesting and looks so cute.
Wow, that is so cool! It looks great on you too.
You are a genius, I love so much you make but this is a total triumph. Hat's off to you! οΏ½οΏ½
Oh my gosh! I think this dress just blew my mind. I'm impressed with your construction engineering and love the fabric combination. Wow, just wow. π
So cool!
There is fable about a Buddhist monk's robe, that has no beginning and no end. Vogue issued an Issey Miyake pattern in the 1980s that might fit that description, but I haven't been able to buy it from eBay to check it out (too pricey). Your dress does fit the description of the infinite monk's robe.
Now, can you make a Klein bottle dress?
http://badmomgoodmom.blogspot.com/2009/08/topological-dressmaker.html
As a maths teacher (and beginner sewist) I have thoroughly enjoyed reading a story posted in your blog! Thank you! I used to love Martin Gardner books and generally Sci-Fi-Maths Fiction (like "A subway named Moebius" etc.)
Should check Ian Stewart book now π
BMGM; thank you! Do you have the number for that IM Vogue pattern? I'd really like to have a look at it now you've whetted my curiosity!
Also; I admit I had to google Klein bottle since I hadn't heard of that; and hmmm, that does sound like quite a challenge. I'll have to give it a lot of thought, a dress in that vein would be interesting but you'd have to make it wearable too… hmmmm π Challenge tentatively accepted?!
Amazing idea & dress. If you do get time for a full tutorial I'd be very interested to give it a try.
I love the dress. I too follow Anita on Facebook and her blog. I love your dress and it looks wonderful on you. On a lighter note, this dress is perfect for those of us who tend to wear our dinner home.
fantastic and great color combo.
Your make is wonderful! It is such a cool construction and the fabrics are flowing so beautifully. And, you are stunning wearing it!
Such an interesting dress and it looks great on!
Wow! What a cool dress, Carolyn! A beautiful feat of engineering!
This is wonderfully convoluted. I would be tempted to start lifting your dress around and peering at the seams if I saw you in person to figure it all out. Love it!
Haha, now you're starting to talk like a fellow seamster!
And, thank you! π
That is So. Cool!!!
magical dress π looks totally perfect, and i like that it can be worn in few diffrent ways.. might try something similar myself
This is genius! Credit to Anita for the inspiration and credit to you for taking it and running so far with it. It's very flattering and very "you."
This is amazing, I love it! Will go back and re-read, would love to try something similar.
As always, another beautiful creation. Gorgeous dress!
Hot dang- what a fabulous puzzle to put together!
You always find a way to raise the bar on your creations – this is just amazing.
Fabulous dress!
Too fabulous for words!
Too fabulous for words!
Too fabulous for words!
Just awesome! I have pinned a couple of things I want to try from Anita's blog. Seeing your interpretation of this is very inspiring.
Amazing!! So simple but totally amazing! I suppose you can do it with reversible fabric? I am so tempted..
That is amazing!
Fantastic! So inspired.
Clever and a fantastic style on you! I love these engineering challenges…though sometimes I even mess up simple facing construction;)
Straight up gorgeous. If I could be a master criminal for a day I would like to steal your entire wardrobe. If only it would fit.
Another winner Carolyn. Enjoy wearing it.
thats absolutely stunning. I am definitely putting that one on the to – do or at least the to try list. I have some left over silks which could make up some panels – my mind is whirring. I love the gentle twist – so artless and perfection.
Absolutely brilliant!
Oh I want to try this! One fabulous dress!
This is amazing! I definitely need to try this, it's a great idea.
xx Daniela / Fashion Shower Blog
Beautiful!
This dress is absolutely wonderful! Just amazing. I've been juggling the idea of making up one of Anita's sewing pattern puzzles for a while now but never got round to make one.
You chose a great idea/shape to puzzle out. And you're looking just great in this dress! Beautiful concept and dress, wow!
Once again you've come up with something totally inspiring! I've pinned a bunch of ideas from Well Suited but have yet to get around to tackling any of them. This dress is as fabulous as everything else you create. It is always such a pleasure to check in with your blog to see what interesting and challenging ideas you are currently pursuing!
Wow! That's a seriously impressive dress. It does look like a Pattern Puzzle project but it's not one of those I saved so I don't have a link to it either. Maybe it was on the old blog?
Anyway, your dress looks great and the fact that you made it reversible really adds to it.
Thank you Lauriana! You are correct, it was on Anita's old blog; I did manage to find the original sketch and the link to it is in the first paragraph of this post now. I don't see a lot of Pattern Puzzle creations being made in blogland; but Anita's designs are so very inspiring, it would be great to see a lot more of them brought to fruition π
Amazing dress, absolutely wonderful! Well done. You look lovely!
xoxo Nadine from Vienna, Austria
My Blog
Just one word : amazing! I love it !
OMG! Totally chic and awesome!
Amazing dress and you have certainly got us all thinking about it, even a top would be fun to play with.
I am so lucky, Anita lives in Sydney and does a yearly workshop at our ASG Group, usually on fitting which we all love and she is fantastic at. I wonder if the rest of the group wold like to do this.
Very interesting and unusual design and looks good on you x
This is amazing and pretty rad! Great thinking on your part!
As a mathematician and a seamstress (not necessarily in that order π ): WOW! Really love the idea, and the end result looks amazing on you!
Such a great creation! Beautiful dress, design and fabric combination βΊ
Hi Carolyn. Thanks so much for the mention. Lauriana is right, this Pattern puzzle in on the old blog. Details here: http://studiofaro-wellsuited.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/patternpuzzle-twist-or-cowl-shift-dress.html?showComment=1439868787703
Now you have inspired me to share the samples I made at the time. Not all a win; but much to be learnt from testing our ideas. π
What an interesting, intriguing, amazing dress! And always appreciate the teaching moments you take the time to include. This dress is simply gorgeous and looks beautiful on you. π
Great dress – two in one! Don't see me ever getting my head around the complexity of this, but I'm pleased for you that your brain still functions that brilliantly!
I agree, genius! I love the color contrasting – bold!
This is brilliant
I think I started looking at Anita's stuff after you pinned a few interesting things! I could stare at her shapes for ages and never get how they're sewn up… but absolutely love this and I pinned a few ideas because …. one day… there's always one day in the future! Which day though, I'm not sure… but give me some time and my mind can handle it. I would LOVE to make some!
Very cool! It looks so easy to wear, as well.
Very cool! It looks so easy to wear, as well.
Very cool! It looks so easy to wear, as well.
Love this. Anita is not only a talented pattern maker, but a great woman and very generous teacher.
Gorgeous as usual. Unlike others if I saw you in the street and you were in one of your hand mades and I was in one of mine, I would be running the other way, with the gusto of an athlete.. Couldn't be letting you see my gathered skirt handy work. Yes I can mess up such an easy skirt.
Great looks, that dress really suits you. ItΒ΄s cool that can designs you own clothes, it makes them unique. Clothing for woman is always better handmade, also white is a great color that makes you look more radiant.
This is so clever and creative. It really looks beautiful on you as well. I love the draping effect it creates.
This one is so awesome.
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