It’s no secret that I love knits – I love sewing them and I love wearing them. Sometimes when life throws you a big shit sack full of bummer, the only way to get back on the horse is with a good ol’ TNT. All knits are TNT as far as I’m concerned (so. freaking. forgiving!), but I especially love my purple Tira, because it goes the extra step of actually looking pulled together. Which is nice, especially when you just wanna feel like you’re wearing comfy pajamas.
As much as I love purple, though, it’s pretty winter and no duh I need a stripey summer Tiramisu now, right? No shame, I totally ripped off both Steph AND Penelope, because I am shameless and awesome and secretly hoping we can be twins(triplets?). Ladies, pls.
Anyway, who doesn’t love stripes?! It’s like wearing a circus ON MY BODY.
This fabric is from the giant sale at my local fabric store, where I totally cleaned up last month. I actually have this stuff in black/white stripes too (and I think I bought some crazy amount, like 4 yards of it haha). It’s so stripey and soft and awesome. It’s also kind of not really suitable for this kind of dress; it’s VERY stretchy, 4 ways, and super drapey. I had to make a few changes to the pattern to get it to work – which ended up ok in the end, but please heed my warning: you need something more stable for this dress, unless you want to futz with the fit all night like I did.
Still, it turned out pretty cute, if I do say so myself! And it looks so good with my new shoes 😀
Anyway, let’s talk about the changes I made:
– I reduced the size of the bust to a C on the pattern tissue, but once I basted the top together to test the fit, it was still a bit low (as the fabric was pulling under it’s own weight. And this was before the skirt was attached!). I removed another 3/4″ from the underbust, although looking at these pictures, I could’ve stood to remove a little more.
– I reduced the waist by 3/4″ before sewing; once sewn up I had to take in the side seams another 1/2″ or so. I’m telling you – this fabric is soo stretchy!
– I shortened the neck and arm bands and stretched them to fit when I sewed them on; without stretching, they would have ended up floppy.
– I shortened the hem twice – first hacked about 3.5″ off the pattern tissue, then another 2″ when the dress was sewn up as the skirt had stretched under it’s own weight.
– I left out the pockets – I feel like they add a lot of bulk with fabric like this.
I tried to match up the stripes, but I didn’t do the best job. They match up on this side…
… but not the other side. This is partially because the fabric was a PAIN IN THE ASS to cut (so shifty!), and partially because I had to keep sucking in the side seams after the dress was finished, to get it to fit. Also, please note that the waistband is not cut straight. Again, shifty fuckin fabric.
The shoulder seams also do not completely match up. Oh well!
Despite my problems with the fabric, the gape factor is pretty non-existent:
I think the key to this is shortening the bands and stretching them to fit the neckline. It kind of sucks everything in, and allows it to curve to your body.
If you have your heart set on sewing this pattern with a very drapey fabric, make sure you are vigilant about pressing every seam. It really makes a huge difference, especially on the bands.
Sorry about all the loose threads; I had literally just finished the dress before I took the pictures 🙂
Now then, let’s have a bit of Spring up in here, pls?
LLADYBIRD 
What sent you running to a TNT?
My sad sweater and a string of meh muslins, haha
Well the Tiramisu is awesome and that sweater found a new home so everything’s coming up Lauren again!
True true! Nothing like a good successful sew to flip my mood back to where it belongs 🙂
YOU’RE A CIRCUS! I love it. Those stripes are so flattering, and no gape = awesomeness. I reeeeeally hope your boyfriend makes some flirty/dumb “under the big top”‘ jokes, hahaha!
Very nice, Lauren, but you do realize that you don’t have many wadders these days, right? You make so many great things, the sweater just reminded you to have humility girl! I love this dress on you. You are an inspiration the way you jumped back on that horse. Oh, and cute shoes! What kind are they? I am always looking for comfy flats.
Oh, I do definitely have wadders, but they usually don’t make it past the muslin stage 🙂
My shoes are from Nine West – got em on sale over the weekend. I don’t see them on the site, but the stores may still have them 🙂
Amen to forgiving knits! They’re all I want to work with these days. Lurve this Tira, and am living fa that necklace. #putabirdonit
Beautiful!
While not completely twinsies, I made this dress in green and white striped fabric. I also feel like a circus (in a good way) when I wear it, and it was perfect for salsa dancing. There’s a few photos in the Flickr group.
PS: we’re almost neighbors, I’m in Knoxville. We have horrendous fabric stores here, anything worth driving to Nashville???
Textile Fabrics is pretty amazing – lots of awesome fabrics and trims and such 🙂 However, they can be pricey – most of the fabrics start around $12/yard and go up from there. They just ended their 40% sale (through January), which is where I got all those knits 🙂
I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one who is attracted to the drapey fabrics and the patterns that are meant for anything but…. 😉
Cute dress, and nothing wrong with sewing for upcoming seasons. 🙂
Most knits are easy to work with, especially stable knits but knits that are too “gummy” as I like to say, can be just as hard as a woven. Some of the alterations you have to make cause the pattern to look super funky but it’s almost as if it was a lycra or swimsuit pattern. I think you did a pretty stellar job considering how hard the fabric is to work with.
The end result is super cute. The stripes really suit you well. And the shoes – LOVE!
Get yourself a pretty kooky little caravan and run away with the circus – this looks fabulous!
Way cute! This pattern really works on you– I bet you’ll have a whole fleet of Tiramisus before you know it!
YES! I think everyone needs a stripey one! It really looks awesome. LOVE it on you! (And adorable shoes, too!)
Oh this makes me want to go down the boardwalk for ice cream!! And it makes me foget the naff weather outside. Very pretty.
Cute!
LOVE your stripey version!!! SO CUTE! You know, I haven’t really sewn a lot with knits…though I just worked with a little bit of wool jersey for my Aviator dress and really loved it……
I love the pattern, it is sooooo flattering – possibly a must for every wardrobe. I am also very inspired the number of projects you get through! I can only imagine the number of draws you must have to house it all – do you sell any of your projects?
I sold for a few years, but I don’t anymore 🙂 I actually don’t have *that* many clothes – I purge frequently, and ruthlessly. I also don’t buy clothes very often haha.
That’s so cute – and a great pattern! The serging is also so impressive. I always look at the sergers in awe…one day, I’ll work up the nerve to buy one!
You’re a wonderful advertisement for that pattern company, btw 🙂
Fabulous!
Super cute:) loving the stripes
I made a black and gray version during Steph’s sewalong and I agree – it’s as comfy as PJs but so much more stylish. I love your stripey version. It reminds me that I really need to make a second one.
Great circus show lady ;o) I love your Tira versions…so pretty yet comfy I bet!
I love it even if the stripes don’t match, because seriously, who asks you to lift up your arms, and then refuses to be friends because the stripes on your dress aren’t lined up?? Nobody, that’s who.
Anyway, the dress is pretty wicked!
May I ask how you got the chevron down the front? is the fabric cut on the bias and then seamed there? I couldn’t tell from the pictures…. Which is probably a compliment to you 🙂 Jen.
That is correct! Bias cut with a seam down the middle 🙂 The stripes on the yardage run perpendicular to the selvedge.
Beauteous! I still am afraid of knits, but maybe I’ll get this pattern and give it a go. I need a fairy godmother to send me a serger. Is it Christmas yet??
This is so very cute! I have a love for knits myself, and stripes!
Super cute! It looks lovely on you. That no-gape factor is really tempting me… Is this pattern something I can sew with a regular sewing machine? Owning a serger is pretty impossible for me at this point
Oh yeah, the instructions include tips for sewing on a regular machine 🙂 Just make sure you test out the stitches on some scraps first, until you find a good stitch that stretches and doesn’t snap 🙂
You know, I’ve never sewn a knit dress! I keep seeing all of your Tiramisu posts and each time I think, “Wow, that’s really stylish and cute!” followed immediately by “And it’s a knit too, so I bet that it’s really comfy.” (And just to clarify, I don’t mean “comfy” in that “comfy-frumpy” kind of way, but I mean it in the “haha-no-one-will-ever-guess-that-this-dress-feels-like-wearing-pajamas” kind of way, which is awesome) Anyway, Casual, comfy, and cute? Big win. In other words, sounds like I really need to add this to my sewing list… stat!
I love this red-striped one! And your whole outfit here. It’s really fun!
What a great dress!
SHIT, this is cute. I like this so very much. I wonder if this would look good on me? So. Selfish. But seriously, I love this on you, and I like the stripes a great deal. Awesome job, as flipping always.
Heck yeah, it would look awesome on you! DO IT DO IT
LOVE your dress! LOVE my own Tiramisu dress too! But I had the same fabric issues as you did. I ended up having to underline the whole dress with less stretchy knit fabric to make it fit me at all. But now I love it and the underlining is actually great because the dress is more winter appropriate what with the cold weather six months a year here in Sweden.
PS LOVE your blog too! 🙂 I’m totally a blogroupie (yes, I just invented that word). 🙂
Ooh so pretty! I love stripes. I don’t know if I’d have all that patience for fixing up the fit to match the fabric stretch… lol. I need to learn to accept that resewing seams is what it’s all about huh?
This is so cute, well done! 😀
You’re like a real-life version of the girl in the pattern drawing! Love the stripes. Hey, at least they match up in the front/back, and give you that awesome chevron effect. Also, I agree, knits are pretty much the best thing ever. So cozy, who cares if they can be a pain in the ass?
I like the bit about a “circus on my body”. It is the perfect description! Yay stripes! It’s a very cute dress.
Hey, the stripes front and back match and they’re the ones that matter! This looks great, I’m so impressed. Now you just need a juggler and a flame eater and an acrobat.
I love this dress! It looks amazing on you- I am so going to have to get this pattern now! Thanks for the inspiration!!
Love it! It’s like the BEST parts of the circus, with no creepy clowns.
I’m mid-project using a too-drapery knit for a faux wrap shirt. I’ve been adjusting the front panels like crazy to tighten up the floppy neck band. I’ll know for next time to cut the neck band shorter. Thanks for the tip!
Love the stripes and the line-up. Also, love your necklace and your amazing sewing space. How on earth do you manage to keep it so tidy!? I’m utterly impressed.