Shelley Made: December 2013

Tuesday 31 December 2013

Ombre Hearts Dress

A post for the New Year...best wishes for 2014 to you all!

I did some sewing for Christmas, as usual.  First was a dress for my 6 year old. 


I used the Fair & Square dress from Tie Dye Diva again (it's a favourite of mine), but wanted to change it up a little as I've made it maybe 6 times now?!

There was this one, and this, and this...plus a few more I haven't shared, LOL!

So, I added some little capped sleeves.  I've described how I did it below if you are interested in trying it yourself!

Really a very simple addition - but I love the way it turned out.  In fact, I think this dress is now my favourite of all time.

Some detail pics to show you...






First, the sleeve I added. 

I also chose to bind the lower armhole with some spare white faille instead of double folding the edge - just to be different!


  
Front and back views (very happy I found the perfect matching button!!)







My matchy-matchy seam!  I always make this dress now with one centre back seam, rather than two side seams.  Only one seam to match up!

















 
Then some action twirls shots from Christmas Day!  I love the way this fabric design seems to ripple!



I used my own fabric design, printed on Silky Faille - this one here called "Ombre Paper Hearts":

Ombre Paper Hearts

I absolutely love the way it printed.  A gorgeous raspberry red with lovely matching lighter and darker tones for the ombre hearts.  It is such a wonderful soft, draping fabric - and so nice to the touch.  It also has a teeny bit of a sheen in the right light!  Plus it washes AMAZINGLY.  My daughter wore it to the movies - she came out covered in sticky melted chocolate and icecream.  All down the front of it - brown and orange.  My heart sank!  Not only was I able to spot clean the worst of it off in the cinema bathroom (rubbing with bathroom paper towels!) - when I finally got it into the wash every single thing came out.  Awesome!!!


Anyway, for those of you interested...to add the sleeves:

I basically drew an oval that was 7 inches high, by 6 inches wide - then chopped it in half down the longest diameter (so the straight edge was 7 inches long).  That was the template.  I cut two out of my fabric (one reversed) for each sleeve. 

Sewed a half inch seam along the curved side with right sides together.  Clipped the curve, turned, and pressed.  Gathered the straight edge in by an inch, so it then measured 6 inches... 

When the bodice outer and inner have both been completed (i.e. you have sewn the front to back at the shoulders) - and just before you the outer to the inner to complete the bodice - this is where you add the sleeve.  Line the gathered raw edge up with the raw armhole edge of one of the bodice pieces, and centre it on the shoulder seam (right sides together).  Do this for both sleeves.  You will need to tuck the curved edge of the sleeve in so you don't sew over it when you sew the neckline.  Place the other bodice piece on top like normal now, and sew away...

I love the added sleeves - and I'm sure I'll do it again someday...soon!

Happy New Year!




Thursday 5 December 2013

Stars in Stripes Dress

Quite some time ago I created a fabric design - I called it "Falling Stars in Stripes".  The fabric design was inspired by the falling binary code images in the movie "The Matrix"...maybe you remember that one?  I have to admit to it being one of my all time favourite of my fabric designs... 

I entered it into the Spoonflower fabric of the week contest way back in July 2012...  The theme that week was "Stars and Stripes".  To my delight, it was a top 10 finisher - and I always had in my mind to make a dress for my daughter out of it.  Now I finally have!



You can see the detail of the stars a bit better on the closer photos...


You can see the slight sheen on the fabric in this one...



This time - I just embellished with simple silvery star buttons.  No flower or anything fancy.  The fabric was detailed enough not to need anything much.




I chose Spoonflower's new Silky Faille, which is a stunning fabric.  So soft, satiny and prints with SUCH vibrant colours.  She loves wearing it - and the faille washes up brilliantly.  You can click the inage below to see the full repeat on Spoonflower...

Falling Stars in Stripes (Zoom Out for Effect)


The pattern I used was one of my favourites - the Fair and Square from Tie Dye Diva.  I've used it many, many times now...and I'm sure I'll use it again very soon.  It's getting hot here - and it's a great dress/top pattern for the heat.

A few things to note about the Silky Faille.  Use a microtex needle.  Keep the fabric taut when you sew - but don't stretch it - just enough pressure to keep it firm.  It does not hold a crease very well - which is awesome for washing (I'm not a keen ironer!) - but something to remember if you have to crease small double-turn seams like under the arms of this dress.

The end result - a flowy, drapey, soft and very comfortable little dress.