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MMJ 9 & June Challenge Summer Dress 1: The 1am dress

Thursday, June 9

I finally got around to making one of the Lisette pattern dresses.

Yesterday I felt like wearing something blue to work today, and fortunately I had a blue fabric in my stash so off I went. Call me crazy if you will, for starting a dress after work, I certainly called myself all sorts of names when I woke up this morning at 7am. When I say "woke up", i mean my mind was concious, my body was alert, but my eyelids would'nt stop their lovefest with each other. My eyes just wouldn't open. I was soooo sleepy....and I still had not finished the dress. I did the hem this morning, opting to use bias binding on the hem as i thought it would be faster than pressing and folding and doing whatever it is you have to do to have a presentable hem. In the end I liked the look I achieved with the biased bound hem.


I made view B. The dress is not really complicated, but the zip was another matter. Normally, zip insertions at the back are pretty straightforward (not always with me), because the seam is straight. A side seam however (which is what this dress has), is curvy, and that comes with its own fair share of issues. The pattern calls for a lapped zip, and after spending 1 hour trying to figure out how to press 1.3cm on the right seam and 1.5 on the left, and not having it come out the way its supposed to, I gave up and used the centred zip technique. 

MEMO TO SELF: Dedicate a whole day (or weekend?) to the mastering of zips.

I did a little change with the skirt of the dress. Instead of using the skirt pattern provided, I used the skirt of my trusted Vogue 8232. I did that because I wanted to make sure it would fit, as I did not have enough time to fix things if something went wrong the Lisette skirt.

The armholes are finished with bias binding, as called for by the pattern instructions. Fortunately I had some blue bias binding at home, which I used.

Another thing I like about this pattern is the dart detail at the front. Its in the shape of a "Y". When I was doing the darts, I did the right side first, and without ironing it, made the left side, then I turned it over to appreciate my handwork.....SHOCK ATTACK....it looked horrible. Like the little fool I can be sometimes, I did not press the first dart after stitching it. So I unpicked the stitches, and did the required pressing. The second attempt was a lot easier. So if you are thinking of making this pattern, DO NOT forget to iron the first dart before sewing the second one. It will make your life so much easier.



Passport Dress & Jacket Sewing Pattern










Notice the dart detail just above the waistline? I love it.




Biased hem

Take care, and have a lovely day.

22 comments:

  1. Gorgeous! I love the style and colour of this beautiful dress and the bias hem is a perfect touch. I can't believe that you made this so quickly - great job!

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  2. thanks Eugenia, it was alot of determination..lol

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  3. It looks worth all the effort!

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  4. It's gorgeous Dibs, I love the Y=shaped darts on the bodice. And you can really rock the blue/turquoise combo, you look fab! x

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  5. Gorgeous!! And I love the trim... I have this pattern...guess I should put it in the queue....

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  6. This is so pretty. Is that shiny bias binding??!!

    The dart detail on that dress is fab.

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  7. Thank you for the wonderful comments.

    @Law, yes, it is satin bias binding. I generally prefer cotton bias, but this kinda looked cute.

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  8. thanks for the tips for the darts. Blue suits u ! well done for your hard work ! xx

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  9. Wait a minute---you made a dress in an evening?!? That is crazy-fast!

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  10. I have all of the lisette patterns but this one. For some reason I think that front v is not going to look right on me. You look great and I love the color so I might consider it the next time simplicity patterns are on sale.

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  11. I sew at night after my 6 month old goes to bed, so I have my share of late nights making dresses, too. lol.

    Fabulous job!

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  12. You should look up handpicked zippers. Threads has a good tutorial. They are really easy and almost foolproof. I find it to be easier and more satisfying than basting a zipper, sewing it and then unpicking all the basting stitches...

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  13. Thanks Molly, i'll look it up. I think I saw it somewhere, but did not really think to try it.
    I'm paid the price for my late night tryst with my machine. Was tired all day. I think in future I'll leave such madness for Friday nights.

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  14. Love that hem!
    And at last I can see what is going on with the dart feature in that pattern - every other version I have seen was on printed fabric and the darts didn't show up. Hmmm... I might need to make one of these!

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  15. I feel so lazy! While I was watching the Apprentice and sleeping, you were making a dress! Good work!

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  16. This dress is sooo pretty! The blue is gorgeous and I can't believe you hemmed it in the morning before work. That's crazy! I could never do that. Well done

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  17. Dibs, you are toooo precious, you hear? I just want to give you a big HUG!!!

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  18. Recently I have seen some of your works, those works are really great!

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  19. I have two of these dresses. Aren't they fun!

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  20. What a fabulous color on you. I really love the bias hem. I will have to find out more on how to put one on.

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  21. Those colours look amazing on you! I really want to make this dress now :-)

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  22. Dibs! It's taken me absolute YONKS to comment on this post so apologies. Buuuuuut: you look so incredibly pretty in this dress and this colour! And wowza on the one-night make. I am humbled. xx

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