Elodie Closet Core Wrap Dress for a Trip to Costa Rica!

 I ordered this fabric in the spring of 2021 and the pattern in the fall, specifically for a trip to Costa Rica that I am currently on! (Hopefully! This should post while I am there, all the Covid tests were negative and we are a go for the trip) This trip has been a long time coming. This trip was supposed to be at this time in 2021 and a celebration of my 50th Birthday and all the wonderful things in my life. I don’t need to explain to anyone why this trip never happened!  Thank you rona. 

Skip to 2022, and omicron…. Ugh, I just trusted that we were all being safe and careful and wearing masks (Chicago has had a mask mandate in place since August) It helps that I have been very careful due to the pancreatitis and not wanting to chance having my body ravaged by a virus on top of the stress of a chronic illness.  Anyhow, nothing special about this story! We are all living in this pandemic.

So… back to the dress!! Photos show an almost completed dress!!

Pattern is Closet Core Elodie Wrap dress view B- Midi length with the short sleeves. I really enjoy the patterns from Closet Core. They are thoughtful, have interesting details and a modern look. The drafting is very good and the sizing is very true to the included charts. This pattern has release darts or release pleats in the front and pleats on the back.

I made a muslin of my size from the size chart and the fit was exactly as expected. Tight across the abdomen. The design ease is only a half inch in the waist. On me this amount of ease is just not comfortable (mostly due to my pancreatitis). It is a wrap dress, so I could loosen the wrap and it felt fine but then the amount of cleavage happening was uncomfortable, I would have had to wear a camisole and I did not want that. SO I made sure to mark CF and line that up and asses the fit from there. I did a closed wedge along the front opening below the breast to get rid of some gaping and I added a half inch to the side seam for a total of 2 inches. This gives me about 2 inches of ease at the waist, depending on how tight I tie the wrap, and it feels great!

I also really like the look of the muslin as a top. If anyone is interested I just cut a length 9 inches from the waistband and marked this on my pattern. Completely makes a super cute wrap top!

For design changes I added a 1/4 inch flat piping along the neck edge. This was specifically because I really needed another 1/2 yard of fabric to be able to cut the print out the way I would have preferred. But, I did not have the leeway and I was not super happy with the print placement. So, the flat piping was a way break up the print marching across my chest. 

I needed to piece the corner on the skirt fronts lower corner of the side seam. I just did not have the fabric width for this length. I did not even bother trying to match the print. With this midi length and it being such a small portion that no one will ever notice unless I point it out!

I also added top stitching along the waistband. This was because the waistband facing, per the pattern directions, was to be slipped stitched by hand. I skipped this due to a couple of reasons. The biggest one being that this fabric is so tightly woven that even my sharpest pins had a hard time penetrating the fabric! The fabric was very stable and top stitching front the right side was done quite easily. In  another type of fabric this may not be so possible.

Of course I had to make a matching mask and key wristlet… ‘cause, why not?? Beautiful fabric! And the current wristlet was literally falling apart after 8 years of constant use!

Due to the tight weave of the fabric, I very carefully used a little dab of glue on the pockets to temporarily hold them in place while I stitched them. This is a wash away fabric glue and very easy to use. I just could not get the pins in without moving the pocket and since this is a washable garment I figured glue stick all the way!

The fabric is 100% cotton print from Core Fabrics. Nice and crisp and beautiful and I would totally purchase this again!! The selves get was super fun and I really wanted to incorporate it but I just couldn’t work it out without it looking strange. SO I just smiled and enjoyed it as I cut out the fabric!

The neck facing and waistband are all interfaced with a lightweight fusible tricot. This fabric really did not need to much extra. 

No buttons or zippers used and the only other thing were some labels from Kylie and the Machine. They are just so much fun :)

I used a Guterman thread, rPET, made from 100% recycled polyester and was very happy with it! My first time using this thread for a full garment construction. I will definitely purchase this thread again.

I used a brand new 70/10 universal needle (I did several tests due to the tight weave and this worked best) All seams were sewn on the machine with a 2.5mm straight stitch and finished on the serger with a 3 thread overlock and pressed open. 

The hem of the sleeve was done by a double pressed 1/4 inch and top stitched. The dress hem was done with a double pressed 1/2 inch and top stitched. Easy Peasy!

I finished the dress the day before leaving for the trip so I do not have any final pictures to share yet. I will be sure to get some lovely ones while at the resort in Costa Rica.

Happy Sewing!!

The Princess and I are enjoying the growth of this Amaryllis bulb that I got as a kit for a Christmas gift.

Some days you just need to sew!

With my blogging hiatus and my back up of posts things may be a little all over the place! kind of like life can be...

I moved back in May and have a place of my own and a wonderful new place to sew... Yes, I will do a proper introduction of my sewing space soon! Once, I was all settled in, I just felt like I just needed to sew. You know that feeling, the act of preparing fabric, planning the details, cutting it out and construction. By the time construction starts the process is almost completed! It just feels good to have your hands on something and before you know it... a new dress or two!

I went to a good old standby for this project, I didn't want to really think about too much. I pulled out a couple of knits and decided I could use a couple more wrap dresses. They are so dang versatile! They are great to wear while traveling, they take up such a small amount of space in the suitcase and you still look put together and smartly dressed.

2 new Appletons and one new topper, Marcy Tilton Vogue 8975. I almost never just sew up a pattern from the envelope. I almost always go back to my master pattern and re-draft for the design therefore insuring a great fit for my body. This was a total exception! It is such a weird pattern and there was not an easy way to look at it and ascertain how the puzzle of pattern pieces fit together. So I took my measurements and went for the corresponding pattern size and hoped for the best! One of these crazy toppers are enough for my wardrobe.

See what I mean...
that line drawing doesn't make any sense and the construction order is crazy.
Part of the side panels is attached to the sleeve and things just are weird...
Somehow it all works out!

One Appleton was done for summer, with short sleeves and a slimmer silhouette. The knit is also a lighter weight so feels great to wear in the heat. The accompanying topper makes it equally as comfortable in the summer indoor air conditioning. The Fabric for both the dress and the topper came from Fabrications in western Michigan. A lovely shop run by an even lovelier couple!

Bad hotel room selfies in the mirror!

This one shows the colors much better!

The second Appleton is the first of my fall sewing and has several modifications to it
1- I added a center back seam and took out a closed wedge. I did this because this is a beefier knit and I did not want the fabric to blouse out or bunch up. I wanted a smooth line from nape of my neck to the base of my spine.
2- I added width to the skirt to make it more full. This gives it a bit of a fit and flare look.
3- Addition of in-seam pockets. I love having pockets and miss them when I don't. So, I finally got my butt in order and added a set of pockets.
4- I added a ruffle or more accurately 'easy pleated trim' This was inspired from a Mary Ray day long seminar I took back in January. The technique she used was on a woven and I think cut on the bias. For mine I just cut 1 1/4 inch wide strips on the grain. I did a practice run to make sure I liked the technique and to see if I could easily do it. Heck yeah! It's the easiest thing to do. I just laid the dress down and sewed while I used my fingers to tuck the fabric at fairly even intervals under the presser foot. I did this all around the front edge. I started on the underlap side just about an inch below where it wraps over (to keep from having to much fabric bunched up under the overlap) and I sewed around the band and down the center front to the hem. Pleated and attached all in one go!

This fabric was a gift to me from a special sewing friend! I'm so glad she likes what I made!!

Applied 'easy pleated trim' It really just makes the garment pop!
Added in-seam pockets.

No pictures of me in this one yet.
 I love that the print is random enough that you can't tell there is a center back seam unless you really stare at it!

Sewing up those 2 garments really got my sewjo back into high gear!!

 Happy Sewing!!

Princess V and Me!

Appleton wrap dress hacks!

Just before the Christmas holidays I made 3 more Cashmerette Appleton wrap dresses. Two for myself and one for my daughter.

Since this was the first one I've made for my daughter I used the pattern as is. I let her pick a fabric from my knit collection and she choose this soft cotton/lycra animal print. Not much else to say about this! She looks great and feels comfortable so that's what counts.

Melissa showing off her animal print Appleton.

For the two dresses that I made for myself I did change up the pattern to introduce some variety to my closet.

Dress one: I changed the skirt on this one to be a full skirt. In order to achieve this I traced off my pattern and then from the waist line and below I made vertical cuts from the hem line to the waist and spread these out. I employed a basic slash and spread techniques keeping CF and CB on grain. I kept in mind the width of my fabric because I wanted to be able to cut the CB on the fold and keep CF from having to be cut single layer. This also kept me from going with a skirt that was too full. The only consideration that you need to keep in mind is the overlap portion on the front skirt. If you take that out in too far of an angle your fabric may want to fold back on itself. I know this from experience! I ended up having to change the skirt portion of the overlap just slightly. I took 2 inches off the width at the hem and angled it to nothing up at the waist area. It was just enough to keep the overlap hanging straight. I really love this slightly fuller skirt. It makes the dress a little more frilly and feminine.

Yay  for a twirly dress! Photobombed by Blue. Poor baby is so lonely after losing her 2 best friends in the space of 10 months. Now she is VERY interested in everything I am doing!

Dress two: I wanted this dress to be a party dress. Something for the holidays that was a bit more dressier than my normal Appletons. I thought about lengthening it into a maxi dress but when I held the fabric up in front of me on the mirror it just seemed to swallow me up! So I left the length alone and ended up lengthening the sleeves. I added enough so that they would be long sleeves and then an additional 8 inches so that I could ruch the bottom portion. I loved it. It gave it just enough something different and special in this party fabric. Which by the way is a burnout stretch velvet so it is sort of see through depending on the lighting. I decided against lining and wore it with a black camisole and tights. This is a winter dress so the likelihood of it ever seeing daylight is next to nil. So, I think i'm okay with it!

This stretch burnout velvet is very shiny!

Detail of the ruching on the sleeves. I think this fabric just lends itself to this detail.

Here I am in my new dress at a Christmas get together! Man, you just have to love that suit!

Since I have lost so much weight since I made the first trio of Appletons I think I may still need to add one or two more to my current wardrobe. I did end up altering one of my existing dresses. My favorite of the 3, the gray lightning dress, it lent itself to being easily altered due to the type of knit and the random pattern if the knit. The other 2 have made their way to the goodwill bin. To take in some of the fullness I decided to take it in at the center back. I literally laid the dress out, found CB, folded it on CB and then pinned it about 3 inches away and hit the serger running! I took off about 31/2 to 4 inches from CB. I serged right through the hem and right through the neck band leaving long enough tails at each end so I could bury them in the seam.

Happy Sewing!!

LOL!!!! I had to add these photos! I looked entirely pissed off... I was home alone. I wonder what I was thinking about? That Face!!

A trio of knit dresses, adventures with the Cashmerette Appleton!

It is very rare that I repeat the same pattern 3 times in a row in such a short period of time! However, I just fell in love with the Appleton dress. 

The checked version was my muslin. I used a very inexpensive sweater knit from JoAnns that had similar stretch qualities to my fashion fabrics. It turned out well enough to keep as a wearable muslin! Yay, love when that happens!! I have no visions of this dress lasting for years and years. The fabric is not the highest quality and will surely pill quite badly, which is why it was used as my muslin. With that said, I will enjoy it to its fullest while it lasts.

So, why did I make 2 more versions? Well, I simply could not decide on which fabric to use!! So I cut both out at the same time and sewed them up at the same time with black thread in my sewing machine and serger. Not having to change thread colors helped to simplify my decision to do both.

The second reason for making both was purely a factor of comfort and fit. With the Appleton being a full wrap dress the fit is forgiving as I lose weight and comfortable with regards to my abdomen. Fact is I am steadily losing weight with my current pancreas issues and pants with waistbands and more constricting garments can be quite uncomfortable. Although, I have lost enough weight that all my jeans are loose enough to not bother me. I'm trying to stay positive and look at the positives of the weight loss. Soon, I'll have this health stuff all managed and I'll go back to having to work my ass off to lose even an ounce!!

I digress....

Back to my dresses.

Pattern: Appleton by Cashmerette. Comes in sizes 12-28 with 3 different cup sizes c/d e/f g/h

I cut a size 20 c/d from the upper waist and up and to a 24 from the hips down with a nice blend through the waist. 

Fabrics: 

Blue watercolor double faced ITY knit from fabricmart- 100%poly

Electrical Storm Knit, a super soft French knit from Smugglers Daughter- 96%viscose 4%elastic

Black/Brown checked sweater knit from JoAnne super sale table- Unknown likely polyester

Each fabric gives a different look to the dress.

The electrical storm version is probably my most favorite. The fabric is divine and so soft and it's like being wrapped in the sweetest hug! Ahhhh. 

The checked muslin version bugs me because of not having enough fabric to match at the side seams. It's a great dress to throw on, feel comfortable and warm, and go chat with girlfriends.

The blue one is interesting to me, the fabric does not have as much stretch due to being a double faced ITY. You can see this in the pull lines at the side boob area. With the less stretch it feels more like a formal dress to me. Also the vertical wavy lines make for interesting optical effects.

I washed and dried all 3 on delicate before sewing up and after creation have been a red with cold delicate washed and line dried. It's nicer to these fabrics to keep them out of the drier.

So what are my likes and dislike of this pattern?

Likes:

1. I did not have to make my normal pattern adjustments. Most notably my back closed wedge adjustment or as many people call it a sway back adjustment. I don't really have a sway back rather I have a big butt! Those with this trait have an issue with fabric pooling in the lower back just above the butt. 

2. The second adjustment I usually make on surplus dresses and tops of both wrap and mock wrap type is to shorten the front edge to eliminate gaping and to raise the cross area. I don't need super cleavage! I did NO pattern alterations. None at all!

3. I also love the depth of the wrap! No insecure feelings of uh-oh I'm gonna flash the world. It's a good thing! 

Dislikes: I really did not have any. I think you need to pay attention to the area where the ties meet the neck binding and make sure everything lines up or else it could look a little messy once you apply the neckline/tie piece. 

I have already worn these dresses several times! They were a perfect add to my wardrobe for the holidays! 

The blue one was worn to my ASG neighborhood group Holiday brunch and to a work recognition dinner. 

The black/grey one was worn to the opera and to my husbands work holiday party. 

I really love the fact that they can be dressed up or go more casual just with the change of accessories.

This pattern will be put away for a while. Thinking I may visit it in the late spring when I need a warm weather dress. I think it will be darling in short sleeves in a fun summery print!

Next up on the work table a sequin top for my birthday/NYE get together. I've never done much with sequins so this will be an experience!

Hugs from Princess Victoria! Hard to believe this little angel granddaughter of mine will be 18 months on Christmas Eve!