I made a new dress, possibly the last summer sundress before our cold winter sets in for real… I was very fortunate to have a warmish enough day recently in which I could wear it to the beach and take photos of it! although it was cold enough that I couldn’t bring myself to take off my little white Tshirt from underneath. I used a new pattern; the Fibremood Alberthe, and a sarong/piece of fabric that I bought in Indonesia back in 2018, when we went there to attend a friend’s wedding. I posted about my travel wardrobe back … whoops, and wow, I’ve just realised I never posted about that travel wardrobe at all. I wonder if I should gather together some pictures and write about it?!
The pattern can be made as either a little top or a dress… I wanted to use the border at the bottom of the dress, so the pattern pieces were laid down on the cross, and made the dress version as long as I was able to cut it. Actually, it’s supposed to be a much longer dress, like ankle length; however I was pretty happy that my pieces fitted perfectly on my fabric, albeit shorter; with almost no leftovers at all. My aim with sewing nowadays is for a few key outcomes, namely:
- to use fabric already in the stash
- cutting the pattern out with as few leftovers as possible
- to also use all haberdashery, like buttons, zips, elastic etc etc from stash as much as possible too.
So far this year I’ve succeeded in just about all of these endeavours, which has certainly made me really happy… at least enough to assuage my occasional desires to violate outcome number 1, and indulge in buying new fabric. Yes, I still have such desires! I’m only human!
Anyway, that’s neither here not there right now… although I just wanted to mention it again to reaffirm that it’s still an ongoing thing.
The Alberthe is quite an interesting pattern, with an asymmetric long front fold providing width to the dress. It’s supposed to have a zip in the side seam, but I tested how it went over my head first and was happy to realise I could slip it on easily without the need for a zip. The back is a plainish, regular sundress style, with wide straps stitched in between the dress and a facing.
It has lovely deep pockets which is nice, although I certainly would have added them myself even if it didn’t! I didn’t hem it, which sounds lazy, but I wanted to retain the border as much as possible. After photographing it, I have second thoughts about this decision. It does look a little unfinished, to be honest. I may or may not go back before next summer and give it a narrow hem, we’ll see.
It is lovely! Does it blow open in a breeze?
thank you! No, it doesn’t, the front is folded and there is no split 🙂
What a cute dress, great use of that border print fabric! So, you didn’t hem it at all, like totally unfinished raw edge, or did you at least overcast it? I’m wondering whether you could finish that bottom edge with some kind of trim element like a narrow flange or crocheted lace just attached with a serger rolled hem — if you can find one that gels with the dress and fabric style it would be a fast and easy solution that would only “steal” a smidge away from the border design of your main dress fabric.
thank you! the fabric is a border print so I cut the pieces on the cross, meaning that the lower edge of the dress is the selvedge edge and therefore quite stable in itself. I’m still considering whether to do something to it though.
So as not to loose any of the lovely border you could do a facing, the only bit you would lose is a tiny seam allowance. I have done this a number of times to add a splash of color to the bottom of a plain dress.
that’s a nice suggestion, thank you. The lower edge of the dress is the selvedge edge so it’s quite stable, however I’m still thinking about whether to do something to it or not. 🙂
I used a sarong I brought in Thailand back in 2009. I loved the colour and boarder but never used it… This year I made a couple of Style Arc – Montana’s and realised that I could finally use that sarong. Like you there was nothing but a few scraps left, and had to use bias binding to finish. Its lovely and cool and I often get asked where I brought my dress from! Anyway I love yours as well.
thank you so much! it’s lovely to make something from a treasured souvenir fabric; I’m so glad you found a fabulous way to wear it out and about!
Very pretty and a lovely way to use sarong fabric. If I needed another summer dress, which I don’t, I would make up the pattern today, sigh. Maybe in the future.
I love sarong fabric clothes! Generally they wash well, although those selvedges can be a rough. Yes, please post on your travel wardrobe, especially one for Indonesia. Thanks for all your efforts on your posts, I continue to enjoy them so much.
I have just made this pattern but my pattern doesn’t have pockets – I wish I had thought to put them in too! Yours looks lovely in that fabric.
The sarong dress is really cute and the border on yours finishes it off perfectly. We went to Bali in May too and I went to Sulawesi Street in Denpasar to buy fabrics. Have you been? They have many, many batik and sarong fabrics but also quite a lot of other fabrics to choose from too. I was really interested to look at your travel wardrobe because I took 4 dresses but, as you say, it was hot, and I needed more.