Cotton + Steel has ruined me for other fabrics, honestly. It is a good thing that a lot of their colorways don't suit my complexion or I'd really be in trouble! I've had my eye on this fabric since the collection preview was posted in the fall. It didn't actually come out until January, and I admit I preordered mine, I was so eager to get it. But then it sat, as my weight fluctuated wildly and my sewing mojo fled. I'm glad I waited, because the changes I made to the Green Geometry dress were ones I was able to carry forward to this dress, and it is fantastic.
My Frankenpattern mods: I kept the larger sleeve openings (same 1 1/2" addition to each bodice piece), and I used the Hollyburn pocket piece to modify the front of my normal skirt pieces so I could get this out of 3 yards. My mistake was cutting the skirt sections first, as I didn't quite have enough to cut the back bodice without piecing. (I could have cheated the skirt length an inch or so and made it, fabric-wise--I know for next time to start with the bodice!! Also, I didn't account for the directional print--3 1/2 yards would have been just right for this fabric; a non-directional print would have been fine with 3) I cut the front skirt piece on the fold so that I didn't break up the print with a seam down the middle (and it drapes a little better when cut on the fold, so I think I'll continue to do this). I cut a little more ease into the top of the skirt pattern pieces to mimic the fit of the Hollyburn.
I ran out of fabric to make a belt or sash, so I found a fat quarter on etsy for a few dollars and pieced together this buttoned sash. I had intended to wear this with a leather belt, but it didn't quite look right, for some reason. The sash is actually closed with a jumbo snap, as I didn't fancy trying to figure out how to handwork the buttonholes through four layers of fabric and interfacing.
I agonized over the buttons--I even had our babysitter weigh in!--and decided go with a two-toned pink set that I had in my stash. They came in a bag of pink buttons, and I despaired of having a project for them, given they are a) pink, b) two-toned, and c) only three. But this was perfect--they matched both the pink trees and the orange accents, plus coordinated well with my sweater. A total win. The stitching on the sash is a little less than perfect, and I may end up redoing it at some point, but the dark background keeps the mistakes from showing too badly.
I also figured out how to miter a corner with bias binding, thanks to an old tutorial I found on the Wearing History blog. I've seen lots of ways to do it, but Lauren's method made the most sense to me for the way I use bias binding. Expect to see more square or sweetheart necklines from now on!
I also have a moss-green winter weight wool sweater that matches well, but the weather is so nice right now, that even my cotton sweater was almost too much!
The fabric is so soft and lovely--I can't recommend it enough. I may or may not *cough cough* have ordered dress lengths of two more pattern ways.
Details:
Toyko Train Ride Dress: Frankenpattern (heavily modified Emery bodice, McCall's 4275 skirt, modified for Hollyburn self-faced pockets), Tokyo Train Ride fabric from Cotton + Steel, Streamline vintage two-tone pink buttons (etsy), vintage Wrights bias binding
Style & Co. cardigan: via ThredUp
Shamrock pin: etsy
Earrings: etsy
Boots: modcloth
Sunglasses: ebay (retronettie)
very fun!!! :))))
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