Shift dress!

I made this dress in ONE NIGHT!  It still needs a hook and eye (little clasp) at the top of the zipper, but that is all.  Actually, it’s not that much of an accomplishment to be able to sew quickly.  It is much more impressive to take your time and get it just right, but I am too impatient for that!  As soon as this fabric came in the mail, I started sewing!  To be fair to myself, I do take a good amount of time in the sketching and planning phase of each project.   It gives me more time to obsess before my fabric comes in the mail! 

I used the Licorice dress pattern from Collette’s Sewing Handbook, but I modified it to the point that it is unrecognizable.  I used heavy fabric rather than the light fabric that was suggested (risky!), I omitted the lining because the fabric I used was so thick, and I omitted the sleeves and the collar.  I had all of the pieces cut, and I actually intended to make the sleeves and collar, but once I had them pinner to the dress, the fabric made them way too bulky and 1970’s for my taste.  For the record (1970’s pun!) I love retro-inspired clothes, but they still have a modern twist or else you end up looking like you are in costume. 

This is the pattern that I used for reference: 

Just like the Crepe dress, as soon as I started cutting, I thought, “what am I doing???  This is going to look awful!  Why  do I have to be drawn to such crazy patterns???”  But again, I stuck it out, and I love the result!  I actually haven’t even had time yet to try on the dress to make sure that it can fit over my bum (might be a problem considering how fitted the dress is) but I am so happy with how this turned out!  This was the first time that I used this pattern, but it will not be the last.  I’d love to make another shift in heavy material like this, but I would also like to eventually try to use the pattern as it was intended: soft fabric, lining, sleeves and collar.  The only thing I plan on not doing is adding the elastic to the sleeves.  I think it would be fun to leave them free flowing.  I could also see leaving the sleeves free flowing, adding the collar and shortening the dress just a bit to make it a tunic.  So many possibilities!  :)

***Also, I used my sewing machine to put in the zipper and add the bias tape!  Yay!