Every Day’s A Party Dress

Introducing…

The inspiration pattern is The Party Dress pattern and tutorial by Lindsay at The Cottage Home.

I’ve actually already made a dress using this pattern – Hadley’s 1st birthday party dress.  Which was coincidentally, intended to be part of the sew along for Season 5’s remix week.  That didn’t happen, so I re-imagined the fabrics I had purchased and was so pleased with the result!

My remix of Lindsay’s pattern began with a women’s XL sweater I had purchased on one of my rare forays to the thrift store.  It’s a lightweight wool sweater so I pre-washed it so I could be sure it would go through the laundry without issue.  The fabric is from my stash – I think I had intended to make a nursing top for me but that didn’t happen.  I used the borders for the band at the bottom of the skirt and the sash.

I remixed the pattern by refashioning the adult sweater into the bodice, and by adding long sleeves.  It’s winter in Michigan, after all!  I also wanted a more every day dress – hence the title “Every Day’s a Party”.  I was able to use the existing neckline of the sweater, which included the ruffled placket. The skirt is the same length as the instructions, but I didn’t make it quite as full as I only had a yard and a half to work with.  Since I was using with the printed borders of the fabric, the band at the bottom is almost the same as given in the tutorial, but the sash is much narrower and again, shorter.  I sewed the sash onto the skirt where it meets the bodice to help stabilize the gathers.  I was sewing gathered woven to stretchy knit so it needed the additional support.

I asked Arden what her favorite part was and she said “the ruffle”.  Of course, it’s the one part of the dress for which I can’t take credit!

Now let’s see if I can keep up with the rest of the sew along…

This project has been featured on:

 

I’ll be linking up to many of these great parties, as well as the PR&P Flickr group:

Mondays Making the World Cuter Monday – Making the World Cuter Made By You Monday – Skip to My Lou Craftastic Monday – Sew Can Do Making Mondays Marvelous – C.R.A.F.T. Market Yourself Monday – Sumo’s Sweet Stuff Creative Me Monday – The Southern Institute Tuesdays I Made It Without My Hubby – Shanty 2 Chic Sew Cute Tuesdays – Better Off Thread Take a Look Tuesdays – Sugar Bee Craft Edition Shwin&Shwin Wednesdays We Did It Wednesdays – Sew Much Ado Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice – Seven Thirty Three Show & Tell – Blue Cricket Design Show Me What Ya Got – Not Just a Housewife Your Whims Wednesdays – My Girlish Whims Thursdays Strut-Your-Stuff – Somewhat Simple Make It, Wear It – The Train to Crazy It’s Stinkin’ Cute – Sew Stinkin’ Cute Show Off Your Stuff – Fireflies and Jellybeans Making It With Allie – What Allie’s Making Now Pinspirational Thursdays – The ArtsyGirl Connection Fridays Furniture Feature Friday – Miss Mustard Seed Weekend Wrap Up Party – Tatertots and Jello Feature Yourself Friday – Fingerprints on the Fridge Friday Fun Finds – KojoDesigns Weekends Check Me Out Saturday – A Vision to Remember Show and Tell Saturday – Be Different Act Normal Sunday Scoop – I Heart Naptime Sunday Showcase Party – Under the Table and Dreaming A Pinteresting Party – Tutus & Tea Parties Sunday Roundup – A Rosie Sweet Home