Sewing Review: Pattern Runway Kimono Dress

I made a dress using Pattern Runway's short sleeved kimono dress. I used a deep purple fabric with a nice drape to it. I found cutting out the pattern to be one of the more challenging steps because of the slight stretch and slippery nature. 

Overall the pattern was clear and easy to understand. I had a few problem spots like the sleeve facing kept wanting to poke out. I ended up tacking it down in 4 different places trying to be as discrete as possible. Also, at the base of the back closure, I wasn't sure how to keep this area neat. It looks a little weird to me, but I'm sure most people will never notice. 

I love the button closure on the back. I used a black vintage button from my stash. I also love the elastic waste band. It makes for a very comfortable dress. 

I'm so glad to be sewing again. I definitely want to make some more of these dresses.

Work Dress Sewn from Simplicity 2147

My New Years resolution was to sew one garment a month. This is my January creation I made using Simplicity 2147. This dress looks really cute with a belt and some tights. Beware, without a belt it looks like you are wearing a potato sack.

The dress is made from a purple linen that I picked up while I was in Japan. Fabric makes the best souvenirs. The bias tape was home made from a floral linen. I added pockets to the pattern at the last minute because I'm obsessed with pockets. When I attached the yoke to the dress, there was about 4 in of extra fabric on the dress portion. I ended up adding two more pleats to solve that problem and it worked out fine.

So this garment incorporated a lot of firsts for me. This was my first time to sew a sleeve, make my own bias tape, and install hidden pockets. I love learning new techniques!

Do you have any pattern suggestions for me to try? Leave them in the comments below

One month down 11 to go!

Look what I made: DIY tee-shirt dress

Making this tee-shirt dress has turned out to be quite the adventure. I started with one ginormous grey tee-shirt and then a smaller pink tee shirt that I used as the accent color. The first step was to cut the sides of the grey shirt so that the tee-shirt would fit snugger. I'm lazy so I totally winged this step. If I were to do it again I would leave more room in the armpit area. Sew the side seam inside-out and try on.

The next step is to cut the belt out of your accent fabric. I decided to use the part of the shirt with the type which adds a nice graphic element. Once you sew the front and the back strips of the belt together try on both pieces to decide how far down the belt should go. Cut your tee shirt dress in half where the belt goes. Line up the good sides together and sew the belt to the top. Take your time figuring out which sides go together. It ended up taking me 3 tries to get it right. (Sometimes I can get in too much of a hurry)

The pockets were inspired by the accidental hole I cut into the shoulder. I needed something to cover up my mistake and the pockets ended up being a really nice touch. I put the straps in because the dress was falling off of my shoulders more than I wanted it to. Functional and cute! Overall I'm very happy with the way it turned out.

I hope this inspires you to make something out of your old tee-shirts!