Sunday, September 21, 2014

The Watercolor Dress

I did something unusual today.  I finished a project . . . for myself.

I started this dress about a month ago, and I've been meaning to get it done before summer is completely over and I have no use at all for a maxi-length linen dress.

So today's technically the first day of fall, but since it's supposed to be in the 80s tomorrow, I'm wearing this bad girl to work before I can't.

The pattern is Tessuti's downloadable Eva dress pattern, available here.  I've made a few of their patterns, and while they tend toward the oversized-fits-most-without-too-much-tweaking, I do like this one.

I've not been big on the maxi dress trend, mostly because they all seem to be nothing but cleavage and skirt.  Now I've been known to put the girls on a plate a time or two (or ten), but the style just does nothing for me personally, at least on me.  Plus, being short, I tend to feel really squat in that much skirt.

Somehow, a dress that's less fitted all over doesn't make me feel short at all.  Here's Tessuti's description, which is easier than me reinventing the wheel and saying basically the same thing.   "This loose summer dress has a bodice that sits sat high waist and a paneled skirt with side pockets.  It can be made up in either a short-sleeved or sleeveless version.  The Eva Dress is designed as an oversized garment which makes it fantastically comfortable and cool addition to your summer wardrobe."

Yes to all that, but a few points they didn't mention -- for some reason, they want you to cut bias binding for the neckline, sleeve hems and skirt hem.  I did it for the neckline, because it seemed neater, but I saw no reason to go to that much extra effort for hems, especially when linen has enough flexibility to accommodate the minor curve of the skirt hem.  Also, the "paneled skirt" they mention is one of my favorite bits -- it's an upper skirt and a lower, skirt, and the upper flares out at the bottom, while the lower is wider at the top and narrows toward the hem.  It gives an interesting effect when it's on, and doesn't look at all saggy.  Check out the line drawing on Tessuti's site if my explanation doesn't make any sense.

Pluses with this pattern:  quick and easy, unless you put it down for a few weeks, like I did.  Pattern pieces that all line up, even with a fluid fabric like linen.  Inseam pockets that hang well and don't show at all.

Fabric is 100% linen picked up as a remnant at London Textiles.  I loved all the colors; I just wish they had been arranged differently on the remnant so that I could have used the aqua at the top instead.  Also, wish I'd been able to pattern match better on that aqua-to-green segment.  But I couldn't, and oh, well.  It's a summer dress, I like it as it is and summer's nearly over.

I'll try to get a photo of it on me tomorrow.


4 comments:

Izzie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Izzie said...

Very pretty-I've looked at the pattern before and didn't even consider buying it, now that I've seen your lovely creation, I might rethink! Tammy

RhondaBuss said...

This is absolutely gorgeous!

nnhoffman said...

I am infatuated with your dress and the FABRIC!!