Sometimes when I decide to sew something, I just wing it. I end up making mistakes, and learning from them, and I view that as a valuable part of the process. However, sometimes, I contemplate an article of clothing for days or weeks before I attempt to put it together. This dress falls into my second category.
I have been thinking about this dress since I started Build Your Wardrobe. I had a hard time deciding what color I should use, how thick the straps should be, how low the back should be. I also don’t have too much experience sewing with knits, and I wanted to get a project or two with knits under my belt before I attempted a dress.
When I was browsing through the discount section of Joanne’s, waiting for Mike to come and pick me up, I ran across this lightweight knit. When I saw it, I immediately thought of this project that had been sitting on the back burner for the last month. It is such a great color for the season, and it was such a great price! I decided to take it home and finally get to work.
You would think after all the planning that I did that there would be no mistakes…oh how wrong. There must be something seriously wrong with my measuring skills because I always seem to make clothes either way too big or way too small. This dress turned out to be too big for me. The mistake really worked in my favor, however because I made the pretty little pleat in the back with the extra fabric. This little change makes the dress, I think. It is definitely my favorite part.
I like that when I sew my projects are in constant metamorphosis. Many times I have an image in my head of what the “perfect” project will turn out to be, but I could never imaging how great something turns through a series of what I initially view as mistakes. How do you handle mistakes in your projects? Do you roll with them, or do you start over?
To make the Braided Straps:
- 2 yards of knit fabric (you don’t need all of it, but you will need three strips that are 2 yards long, so use the leftover edges of other sewing projects if they are available)
- Matching thread
Cut three strips of fabric measuring 2″-2.5″ x 2 yards. The beauty of knit fabric is it will roll in on itself (wrong side out) so you do not have to sew the pieces before braiding them. Knot them together at one end, with the same side facing up. Braid the three strands together, pulling slightly as you go (this will make for a tighter braid) Tie another knot when you get to the end.
Place the center of the braid on the center of the neckline. Sew by hand, taking care not to go through the front of the braid. Measure the length you would like the straps to be, and then subtract 2″. The straps should stretch a little when you are wearing the garment. Sew to the inside of the back.
Wow! This is gorgeous! Thanks for the braid tutorial. I will try it when we reach summer in a few months. (Bummer! We are just entering autumn now in the southern hemisphere.) Love the colour of your knit fabric. I was in Chicago two weeks ago on a business trip and bought the most gorgeous fabrics, some knits of a quality I have never seen before. I also had the chance to visit a Jo Ann’s, although it was a smaller store and a bit disappointing. I dedicated a whole suitcase to my fabrics and books! I really like your clothing you make. I’ll visit soon again!
Pinktulip-Thank you! I would love to see the result when you try it out! I find that JoAnn’s can be hit or miss. Their store near me is a little small as well, and I don’t always find what I am looking for. They can have some pretty good prices, though, and when they are having a sale I can come away with some great steals! I hope your trip to Chicago was lovely!
you should just make all of the BM dresses!!
Lol, thanks! It would definately by a lot of work…maybe I can just make yours and mine :-D
Great work! I love the color and the dress is so perfect for summer!
Wow, I love the details – the pleat, and braided straps. I think the mistakes are part of learing too, and sometimes they are welcomed!
Oh my goodness, I’m loving your site! This dress is wonderful, and it is so kind of you to explain what you did. I’m definitely subscribing ASAP! :)
Kate, I LOVE this dress. Did you just make that pattern up???? I am impressed.
Thanks Nicki! I did make up the pattern, and kinda altered the dress to fit me as I went along.
Beautiful! I love that dress. I admit to being skittish about knit fabric. I have some in my stash that I bought at a really low price but it is going to sit there for a while. How was your experience with the knit. Any recommendations?
Liz-Thanks for the great question! I was definately scared of knits when I first started out as well! There are a couple things that I have found helpful. First, I read the manual for my sewing machine, and found out that it has a special foot for overcasting (http://janome.com/index.cfm/Machines/Accessories/Sewing_Machine_Feet/Overcast_Foot_M) and a needle specifically for knit fabrics. The needle is blue at the top…I have no idea if this is typical for all sewing machines or not (maybe someone else here knows about this??). If your machine does not come with this needle, you should be able to find it at a sewing store like Joann’s. The blue needle is specially constructed to help decrease the number of skipped stitches on knits and delicates.
What I have been doing for seams is using this blue needle and the regular foot to do just a straight stitch, like I would with any other garment. When you do this, make sure that you don’t stretch out the fabric. Let the foot do the work, and use your hands to guide the fabric. After that, I go over the edges with the special foot. This finishes the edges pretty nicely, but you can use the zig-zag stitch instead if you do not have the foot.
For edges of your garment that need to be stretchy, it is important to use a stitch that has some give, such as the zig-zag stitch. If you don’t, it will be pretty hard to get your garment on and off.
I am still new at sewing knit fabrics, so I will keep you posted with any more tips that I have! You can also check out Sew U: Home Stretch by Wendy Mullin (http://www.amazon.com/Sew-Home-Stretch-Sewing-Fabrics/dp/0316118370/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b)…I checked this out from the library before I started any knit projects and it is really helpful!
That’s really cute. It looks SO comfy, too. You really can’t loose with cute AND comfortable.
Beautiful dress, love the detail of the braided hair, too.
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