Hey-o, remember when I got all that awesome swap haul a couple of weeks ago?
And this pattern was part of the prize?
Well, look Ma – it’s a real dress now!
This was a pretty easy/fast make – although I caught myself trying to cut corners to get it put together even faster. WTF! I actually considered omitting the buttons & installing an invisible zipper – WTF! The buttons are the cutest part! Thank god I put the pattern aside for an evening & got my senses back.
But in all honestly – arranging those gathers at the yoke & sewing everything down was a giant pain in the ass. It’s not perfect by any means, but it’s passable and that’ll be ok with me!
The only change I made to the pattern was a drastic shortening from tea-length and I took about 2″ off the side as the bodice was a bit loose – I just folded the placket over one more time & that worked perfectly! Oh, and the bodice is underlined with batiste – the fabric is a bit sheer. Hope you can’t see my undies lol.
I sewed the whole thing up without any clue what kind of buttons would make the final cut – I didn’t have anything decent on hand, and I needed at least 9 for this dress! And buttons are expensive, ugh! Thankfully, I found a little card of these yellow guys at the flea market – $1 for 9 🙂 Not too shabby! I wanted blue buttons to tie in the blue yoke, but yellow is good enough 🙂
Oh, the blue yoke, btw – I don’t look too fine in this shade of yellow (or ANY shade of yellow for that matter!) so the blue yoke was necessary to keep my face from getting too sallow-looking. There is blue in the floral print, but it’s darker (the bright was all I could find). I think it works, Landon thinks it’s too randumb. Thoughts?
Do you see my tiny slip-stitches on the inside? NEITHER DO I. Seriously – the best thing I learned from that Bombshell class was slip stitch. I use it on everything!
Here are those yellow buttons – I took a tip from Sunni and stitched all the button holes with bright blue thread, to tie in the blue yoke. Unfortunately, you don’t see it too well when it’s buttoned up. Ha, oh well!
I also made a matching belt – it’s a tiny bit small. I suck at making belts, boo.
As a side note, it might be a little quiet ’round these parts for the next couple of weeks – Landon & I just got approved for a new house (it’s rental, we’re not buying!) so we’ve got a month to move. Which means boring stuff like packing & lifting, but also fun stuff like paint colors & new decor! I’m super pumped, albeit a little stressed (and poor!). Oh, and don’t worry – I still have a sewing room. A bigger, better sewing room – with hardwood floors. Yay!
I love it!! You look amazing. I don’t think the blue is randumb at all. It looks really good with that yellow. The buttons worked out well, too. Can’t wait to see your cute, new digs!
It’s beautiful! I think the blue goes well, I am probably going to be pairing my dress with black. I know there’s no black in the fabric, but from a distance it looks like the blue could be black. At least I am telling myself that because I don’t have a blue cardigan haha.
Ha I totally considered black too! I think it’ll look fine 🙂 I ended going with blue since the yellow & style of the dress were so summery – black might have been a bit heavy. I can’t wait to see yours!
Love it! I think the blue yoke looks fine in the photos. I guess if you wanted to tie it in, you could make a blue belt? But I like the matching yellow one, even if it is a little small. 🙂
The blue is a great choice. It makes it more modern and color blocked. It’s very inspiring!
No, I absolutely love it. I’m a big fan of contrasting yokes and such, and in the pictures the color looks fine. Even if it isn’t I kind of like things one off, too.
The blue totally isn’t random at all, it looks so great with that yellow! And it ties in with the blue in the print really cutely. Guys don’t know design haha c: OOoh and I can’t believe you’re moving again! Should check your LJ more. I hope your new place is super qt!
Haha, yeah, Landon & I are moving in together, so we need more spaaaace! This new house is almost 1200 sq ft – which is like a mansion compared to the 700 we were trying to squish in lol.
I loooove the blue with the yellow! Also the yellow buttons.
This dress is lovely! Fab pattern and fabric to top it off. Great job.
Hey, your dress looks really great! The contrasting blue is quite cheery and stylish. To bring the blue color down w/o being too overpowering, (and if you don’t mind making another or altering your belt), perhaps consider attaching thin blue piping along the top and bottom edge of the belt. ? Just a thought I’d throw out there.
UHM I LOVE THAT IDEA! Piping on the belt – why didn’t I think of that?! I’ll have to check & see if I have any more of the yellow fabric; I did a big purge yesterday & may have already given my scraps away :X
Nah I don’t see it as random. Blue and yellow look absolutely fabulous together and gives it an edge thought that was why you did it lol. I’ve seen a few things with blue and yellow and thought ah those are colours I will be putting together one day. You just don’t think blue and yellow until you see it, and think that works. You could always get something blue like a blue thin bangle or bag to tie it up if you feel random. In fact that would be the biz.
Forgot to say that button detail is da bomb. Love eeeet!
I love the blue with the yellow too, it’s complimentary, not randumb! I also love the flower pattern on the fabric …. and the buttons. What else? Oh yes, it’s beautifully made and you look gorgeous! x
Great dress! I like the blue, looks good paired against the yellow. What do guys know anyway?!?
Oooh, this is way cute! You look adorable! The skirt has just the right amount of fullness. I love the blue accent! A blue belt would be really cute, too, and I bet you would wear it with other outfits!
Yes! I am sooo in love with it; thank you again for the pattern & fabric!! I actually thought about making the belt blue, but then I decided that I can buy a boring blue belt anywhere, might as well use the covered buckle kit on something fun 🙂 But yeah, a blue belt would be a nice too!
Oh I love that shot of blue at the neck – it sets off the dress perfectly. Very cute retro feel to the whole outfit. Nice one on the house – looking forward to seeing all the deco pics!
OMGZ THE CUTEST! How do you do it? Every time.
looks gorgeous! great colours 🙂
It’s a cute dress, I love that tie detail and the cute buttons. Glad you didn’t give in and zip it 🙂
I personally wouldn’t have chosen such an obvious color change (I’d have opted for some complimentary shade of pink or something), but I’m completely boring. I’ve accepted that and moved on. 😉 The dress is pretty cute though, and I’d maybe make a blue belt to help tie it together a bit more.
Congrats on the new house! Moving sucks, but it’s much better if you’re moving within the same town vs. across the state or something. But, a bigger, better sewing room makes it that much sweeter. 🙂
soooo cute! i seriously love dresses with lots of buttons.
I look sallow in yellow too. Smart thinking Magoo with the blue yoke, Langdon is up for a pasting from the sewing community methinks LOL.
I get my gathers neat and even, then I press the little suckers and then sew the seam. If there’s a technical reason why I shouldn’t do this I’m going to stick my fingers in my ears and go ‘la la la la la’.
The colors! The buttons! The belt! I love all of it – it turned out beautifully!! Seriously love everything you make 🙂
That dress is soooo cute!!! The ties at the top are adorable – love the pattern! If you ever wanted to “swap it forward”… =)
This is an adorable dress. Add me to the “love it in blue & yellow” club. I think blue shoes would be the bee’s knees, but not as a criticism to how it’s styled here. Good luck with the move.
I love it. Not random pairing of colors at all. Hopefully, this won’t make you cringe, but these are my sorority colors so I’m partial.
It’s gorgeous!! The buttons are a lovely detail, it would have been criminal to put a zip in there! And as for the blue, I think it’s great. I can’t think of another colour that would have worked so well. 🙂
You crafty lady! Looks fab – love the contrast of the blue and yellow…. and the buttons – very nice!
That looks gorgeous on you, I LOVE the bright blue with it! And that floral fabric is sensational!
I love blue and gold. This looks almost mustard-y, similiar to your Agatha, and that color looks good on you! Cute dress!
I love your dress and I think the blue really lifts the yellow fabric, and what a great colour match on the buttons.
There is nothing randumb about this dress whatsoever Lauren! It’s such a pretty, pretty make and you look adorable in it. What a great breezy number, love everything about it!!!
I love that fabric! I think yellow looks fine in you, but I love the blue along the neck anyway. It’s very summery! I really like the belt too; I need to learn how to make some of those.
This is gorgeous…such a great summery dress. The belt is great and I like the blue yoke. You couldn’t be anything but happy when you wear a dress like this. Congrats!
Oh I just LOVE it! Everything about it. I’m glad you didn’t put in a zipper, though I tend to avoid buttons as well and might have put in a zipper =)
GORGEOUS!!!! I love the pop of blue at the top so Landon obvs doesn’t know anything about sewing! lol ;D Really like the blue buttonholes too.
Good luck with the packing / moving / unpacking!
So pretty, and it really looks like the illustration (I always wonder, with vintage patterns). Love the blue, too.
Love it. The blue looks great. Good luck with the move.
I don’t know what you are talking about! “Suck at making belts”??? Nah-uh!!!! Hell no! That whole outfit rocks. The buttons are adorable and the blue looks great. Love it!
It is an amazing dress! Great choice to have used the blue fabric as a yoke, and the buttons are really too cute! All you need now is a petticoat and make it seriously vintage! Good luck with the move!
I love your dress, including the blue yolk. My first thought was how casual and fun your dress looked while the envelope looked so fancy. Well done.
This is totally awesome. Love to see what that pile of fabrics turned into! So sad you are leaving my side of town though 😦
But… but… I’ll have such an awesome house on the west side! You’ll have to come see it, maybe we can do some kind of one-off with our craft nights 🙂
I think the blue looks great with the yellow & that is a smart move to put it closer to your face (I never thought of that before…) The yellow fabric is def worth using – it’s so pretty & I’m so impressed you used this pattern so soon after it joining your pattern library…most of my new ones enter & never leave except for the occasional stroke!
Oh my god it’s adorable!! I think the blue yoke is perfect! Good luck on your move – ughhhh I totally feel your poor pain! First month and last month sucks!
It looks great! Good job.
Ah I LOVE this! The blue and yellow are fantastic together – I love the buttons and the blues in the fabric go FINE with the contrast 😉 Tell Mr to stick it! hehehehee 😉
Blue’s good – lovely actually and brings out some of the blue colours in the yellow fabric flowers. Very cute.
I love this dress! The contrasting yoke really makes it sublime! I am also thrilled to see the yellow fabric I almost bought some when it first hit stores in my area ;p I thought it would make a fun dress from one of my vintage patterns but my husband wasn’t a fan and now I really wish I had grabbed it!
Bonnie MS
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I think the dress is really cute, the blue doesn’t look random but it would tie in more with blue buttons (I am all about the money saving aspect though) really love the pattern and good luck with your move.
That dress is so cute! I love love love the fabric. It works so nicely with the style of the dress.
Oh my word! I think I said those words quite a few times whilst reading this post. At least twice before I even go to photos of your creation!! I think this may be the most loveliest pattern I have ever seen in my whole entire life! Then when I saw your version… Oh my, it is fantastic! I absolutely adore the yellow print! I’m like you in that yell
Oh my word! I think I said those words quite a few times whilst reading this post. At least twice before I even go to photos of your creation!! I think this may be the most loveliest pattern I have ever seen in my whole entire life! Then when I saw your version… Oh my, it is fantastic! I absolutely adore the yellow print! I’m like you in that yellow doesn’t quite suit my ski tone, but I think the blue really works in breaking it up and you look gorgeous in it! Definitely glad you stayed with the buttons and not replaced with a zip, well worth the effort. I’m seriously going to have to be on the look out for that pattern so I can hopefully make this dress one day!
I’ve only just discovered your blog and I have to say I’m very envious of your wardrobe, you are seriously talented and have made some fantastic pieces! I’m hoping with enough practice I will be able to make a wardrobe half as good as yours!
OHHHHHHHH MY GOODNESS… I am IN LOVE with everything about this dress… I can’t even tell you. Aaaaaand I must know how you covered your belt! Did you use a kit or something like that?? I think it looks great! You are incredibly gifted! (:
I used a vintage kit, but you can buy new ones too – Sunni has several in her shop. Make sure you get the backing as well as the buckle; the backing is what really makes the belt look professional 🙂