Ever since graduation, my college girlfriends and I have always gotten together for New Year\’s Eve, (dragging along our boyfriends, slowly turning into fiances and husbands). We all go somewhere and get a hotel room or rent a house–we\’ve done Chicago, New York City, Raleigh, and this was our second time returning to a place we\’re all in love with, Charlottesville, VA. We generally get a bit too rowdy and have too much fun. St-Germain, gin, and champagne sent some of us to bed a bit early this year, but that just meant I was able to hop out of bed at 8 for a New Year\’s Day run (during which I rescued a lost dog, so there\’s my good deed for 2017), shower, and feel fairly presentable by 9:30. That never happened in college!
This year we were pretty casual, but of course I can\’t resist any excuse to make a party dress so I spent the last few days of 2016 making this, my first dress of 2017! It\’s my third dress from Simplicity 6820 from 1966 (see my leopard print one and my Rifle Paper Co. version). This time, I added a ruffle to the bottom and a lace overlay to the sleeves (leftovers from my wedding dress jacket \”muslin\”). It\’s super easy to add a ruffle like this to any dress or skirt you want: just cut it shorter and add a gathered rectangle the same length that you cut off (plus seam allowances). The fabric is a gorgeous silk my mom picked up for me in the remnants section of G Street Fabrics. It\’s heavy and more liquid than floaty–she thinks it might be triple-ply? This will be a dry-cleaning dress.
I couldn\’t resist stopping by the Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Universalist church for these pictures–it\’s where my husband Alex and I got married! Most UU halls are more modern-looking, but I love this one\’s traditional architecture, it\’s very Charlottesville. The prettiest Unitarian church ever is the one in Charleston, though! I could stare at that gorgeous lacework ceiling allll day.
It feels right to be starting off 2017 with a tried and true vintage pattern, since I really want to perfect my tried and trues and simplify a bit this year. I love making sewing resolutions, but more on this Friday! Are you resolving to do more sewing? Perhaps you are vintage pledging this year? I encourage everyone to try a vintage pattern. I\’m biased, of course… but you really should.
Happy 2017, y\’all, I can\’t wait to see what it has in store for us all!
xoxo,
Last year I resolved to not buy a single top and sew tops if I needed a top. I did just that! I did get some free race shirts but I didn't buy any:) This year I am going to continue sewing tops and dresses and I have two outerwear items and several skirts on my list. What I really want to do is dive into fitting a woven wrap dress and a pair of twill pants! Ugh writing it down makes it a real goal!
Pretty dress! This year I just want to sew as much as I have time to and I want to make bright and beautiful garments!
Happy New Year, Allie! Beautiful dress. This year I am hoping to just continue to build my sewing skills and also fill some more of the gaping holes in my wardrobe. I have special occasions to sew for in the first 1/2 of the year and am aiming to tackle some TNTs for the 2nd half. And of course not contribute to my UFO pile 😉
Love it! How did you put the lace on the sleeves? I would like to try that.Thanks.
I'll be fitting a woven wrap right with you! 🙂 Probably not twill pants though!
I think that's a great plan 🙂 Your makes are always bright and beautiful!
Thanks! I cut my pattern piece in silk and then again in lace, making the lace sleeve as long as the hemline on the silk piece. Then I sewed the lace to the silk and used them as if they were one piece for the rest of construction. Let me know if you want me to clarify!
I love special occasion sewing! I think I got a good handle on a few tnts (this dress for one!) in the last half of 2016 so I'm also aiming to make some duplicates!
I was just browsing the blog roll and I saw your post and recognized the doors of my church. Ha!..small world! I love your dress too. Very nice work.
Beautiful dress Allie – it has all the elements that are my favourites – navy, silk, shift dress style – lace to fancy up the sleeves! It's exactly what I love to make and wear!
An absolutely stunning dress! The silk and lace go so well together, and the colour is stunning.