You know how after a sewing project is finished you nearly always end up with scraps, sometimes of such a decent size you can’t toss them out… but not enough to do anything with on their own. So sometimes I try to actually cobble these scraps together to make some sort of wearable thing. This is a plan that meets with variable success…
In spite of which, I’ve made a simple little day dress, out of some of my most recently generated scraps. I think it will be OK for this summer. Basically it was a free dress. Oh, OK I did have to buy a zip, so technically it cost a couple of dollars.
I used New Look 6699 again, modified. I kind of winged the skirt, as I didn’t have enough fabric for anything. This one falls somewhere in between the two in the pattern; more A-line that the pencil version, but not as wide as the other. The lower tiers are all attached under the hem of the top skirt. I hemmed some but not all of the tiers, because I like the idea of the skirt getting a little raggedy and frayed, I think this look will accentuate the vaguely peasant-y vibes the dress has already.
I also altered the neckline of the bodice and put in a picture below of the bodice and pattern pieces, for the following reason: My sister-in-law and I were recently discussing a pattern which she had dismissed because it was a V neck, but of course the neckline of a bodice is the easiest thing to alter about a pattern. You don’t have to cut along the lines of the pattern, just cut out the one you prefer. Also this pattern has sun-dressy straps with buttons closure at the back while I wanted a one-piece back bodice, so I just pinned the two pieces together and cut out as illustrated below in the photo. One thing to keep in mind, if you do this you will need a longer zip… This fabric is the leftovers from Sam’s shirt.
This is a close-up of the shot cotton fabric I used for Craig’s shirt, the leftovers of which are the midriff and the lower tier of my new dress. Here you can see the bright blue warp and the neon yellow weft. Amazing to think such a subdued colour can come from these brights, no?
The bodice is lined with the leftovers of the primrose voile I used for the petticoat of my Christmas dress. The scraps of the Christmas dress itself have been used as one of the skirt tiers, and as bias binding on the neck and armhole edges. Actually I think this bright floral bias binding against the black and white check turned out to be my favourite feature of this dress.
The other blue skirt tier is from the very last leftovers from this shirt and this dress.
The skirt front and back is the leftovers from this dress.
Detail:
Dress; New Look 6699 with modifications, partly my own design, various cottons
Sandals; Mican by Joanne Mercer, from Hobbs shoes
Nail varnish; BYS Mint Condition
