Comfy Knit Maxi

I don’t know why I don’t have more maxi dresses. They really are very comfortable for our hot summers. If made out of knit fabric, all the more so.  Of course I set out to remedy the situation.

On a recent trip to the garment district I picked up two knits for $6 at Michael Levine’s Loft. I recently learned a new sewing term Frankenpattern. Aleah, came up with the name. I met her at the sewist meeting in LA and it was from her stash that I snagged the Jay McCarroll knit print I used recently.

Going through my vast pattern collection I decided to use this as a basis for my dress.Simplicity 2177This has been in my stash for a while, so can I consider this free?IMG_2634Version B is what really caught my eye.  This pattern is designed for woven fabrics. That is the beauty of Frankenpattern, at some point one gets good enough at sewing that mixing and matching pattern pieces. Or adapting a pattern from woven to knit is an easy thing to do.P1020952I cut the bodice a size smaller. I didn’t want to deal with pleats, so used gathers instead. No, the placement of the gathers isn’t perfect. This is just an easy knock around dress – perfection is not called for.

P1020959 This isn’t a symmetrical fabric, so I felt this placement of the stripes on the center triangle was most pleasing.  I also am happy with symmetry of the diagonal pieces. One thing I have been doing lately is lining the bodice with a thin cotton knit fabric. This gives clean edges to the armholes and neckline as well as giving a little more structure to the bodice.P1020927Light and airy from the back as well.P1020929

A very successful dress from $3 worth of fabric, an old pattern and a few hours to cut and sew.

Leah

Stash Busting

As any sewer, knitter, crocheter knows – we all accumulate a stash. Think of it as your basic material supply. What painter goes out and buys new paint for every project?  Same with us, we need a certain amount of fabric or yarn on hand when inspiration or simply the need to make something hits.

To be fair, my stash isn’t enormous and in the last few weeks I have been very busy sewing only from my stash.  First these are the patterns I used.P1020629The McCalls is being used for the second time – how is that for being thrifty?  The Simplicity  and the Vogue I have had for about a year.    P1020617I got this fabric at our LA Sewist meet up a few weeks ago. It is from Aleah, I can see from her blog that she loves knits, but also loves them in stripes or solids. So I guess this just wasn’t her thing. The fabric is from Jay McCarroll’s fabric line, The winner of the very first Project runway. Glad to see that he is doing well.P1020621Back view, simple sheath with darts for shaping.IMG_2549These two fabrics I bought a few months ago at Sew Modern, I’m sure the blue one was on sale and I matched the small print to it. I bought it thinking I’d make a dress out of the fabrics this summer and I did! P1020636I really  like how this dress came out.P1020637It’s a very simple dress, but the small details of the bodice and the skirt is really what makes this dress. It was very easy to make, I just love this detail.P1020638

P1020630Cute back, simple but well fitted.P1020614Always take time to smell the roses, or the lemon flowers.

The last dress. My friend  Lynne gave some Thai silk, as in silk she bought in Thailand years ago. This is the second dress being made from that gift.  As befitting the silk, the pattern is somewhat complicated.P1020603I probably should make more muslins, I don’t. I find that I fit myself as I go along and I’m getting much better at doing that.P1020602Love the gathers in the back of the dress. It just adds a little oomph.P1020607Close up of the detail of the neckline, this is what sold me on this pattern. Some asymmetric interest in what is basically another sheath dress.

So that’s it, next big project, a baby quilt for new upcoming grandson.

Leah