spring shift

This year\’s valentine\’s dress was so excitedly finished that I pre-emptively wore it a week early.

I\’m a terrible outfit repeater, but I see different people every day of the week (part time job, class) so usually it  doesn\’t really matter. Somehow I think people would notice if I wore the same dress two Thursdays in a row, especially since I received several compliments from my lovely classmates. Thanks, classmates!

This is version two of New Look 6145 previously blogged here. After I noticed the fit of the dress, I made a swayback alteration with the help of this fantastic tutorial but I still needed some help, so I went to my very first sewing class ever. I was so excited, and it was a great experience. It was a free-form, bring-your-own-project type class, which was really useful, because I was able to bring my pattern tracing supplies and get some individual help, as well as learning from the other students\’ questions. I got my pattern all sorted and cut out this lovely peachy-pink kona, and took it home to sew. It was…. better, but still not great. The back looked a lot better–I wanted it to remain zipperless, so I won\’t get that smooth line of a fitted dress, but it does look and fit much better. The front was still droopy, though, and that\’s what I really wanted help on. But I fixed it, basically. It isn\’t perfect, but I have cut and sewed and unpicked this dress too many times to do it again.

Somehow during these alterations, I think the hips got tighter? Not sure how that happened. I may just be the drape of the fabric? My last (hopefully) change to the fit will be to add a wedge to the front and back, starting at nothing at the neck and adding ~1\” to the front and back center at the bottom. I think that will alleviate bunchiness at the torso and allow it to drape better for a better side silhouette, which is admittedly not super cute right now.

indoor mirror detail shot

The extensive (for me anyway) hand finishing done on this dress more than made up for the lack of zipper: hand hemmed, hand finished bias arm holes, and handtacked-on lace and bow. It was a good excuse to watch lots of Dark Shadows on Netflix as I worked.

We startled a deer, who then startled me, while photographing, but this shows the shape of the dress to it\’s best advantage.

I look like a creepy doll. Perrrrfect.

If I wear these with cardigans I can stretch them to spring, and some colors into fall. This one looked cute with black tights and heels when I wore it last week. Do I want some white go-go boots? Wouldn\’t it look perfect with some Ferragamo Vara pumps? Exactly how many variations on this shift can I make and wear? What do you think?