Friday, January 27, 2017

Sew Chaotically! - Flannel Shirt Dress - S8014 - and matching an asymmetrical plaid!!


The story of a beautiful woven cotton flannel plaid becoming a fun shirt dress (and then some)!!! Initially, I was planning to make a cozy tunic....and considered this pattern:

But, I loved making and wearing THIS shirt dress (S8014) so much that....
....I decided to go with the dress!
Mirrored selfies at B and J Fabrics in New York!!!  Look at that beautiful plaid I'm clutching!!!

I fell in love with the colors, soft and delicious feel of this fabric without noting its asymmetry until it was time to cut it!!!  Then I had an anxious conniption in my efforts to match the pattern...but LOOOOOOK at the sleeves and bodice!  MATCHING like a BOSS!!!!  Here are some links to tutorials that REALLY helped me!
Matching Plaid - Sewaholic
Matching plaids and stripes - Colette
Matching Stripes - Mimi G

Total cheat.  Those collar buttons are NOT functional....and I DON'T CARE!  They are cute and hold the collar where I want it!

I thought one piece cut on the bias was cute without being twee.  X marks the spot!!!  Though it doesn't show up very much in the pic....I made a pleat just below the yoke, much like those used in men's shirting, rather than the soft gathers that the pattern utilized in order to keep the pattern simple.  I also added two inches to the length at the appropriate lengthen/shorten line per the pattern so as to "do it right" and not have to re-trace the curved hem.


Pretty cute, right?!!!   I wore it as seen here and got lots of compliments.  However, in dropping the waist by the 2 inches I needed in length....I dropped where the ease for the hip hit!  Something that I imagine is pretty obvious to normal folks...but was a surprise to me!!!  So much for doing things the "right way"!!! This left me little room to groove (or sit) in the hip area and made the dress gap between the buttons upon sitting.  I considered moving the buttons, adding snaps...  Hmm...but there was one other niggling thought I couldn't quite get past.  The feeling that I was wearing a granny nightdress round and about.  Soooo....

I redrew the hem.  Wacked it off.  And ended up with the tunic I probably should have made in the first place!  Now I can leave the bottom button undone, have room for sitting, and feel like I'm wearing a chic flannel top rather than Wee Willie Winkie's nightgown!!!
Sew Chaotically!!! - I sure do! - c

PS Maybe this will stop my stealing B's flannel shirts!!!  Nahhhhhh!!  (Shhhhhh!) - c

1 comment:

  1. It looks great in both iterations ~ awesome plaid matching!

    ReplyDelete