Zephyr

I don't know what is wrong with me lately, but I seem to be a bit short on creative mojo.  Maybe it is the season, or maybe just being run down from all the drama with my throat and the kids' ongoing health issues.  Probably some combination of the above.  

Suffice to say: this dress almost didn't get made.

I had three dresses cut out and waiting for addition into my winter wardrobe.  After the Pyjama dress debaucle, I knew I needed to make a third dress or I was going to be a bit short on my wardrobe needs for winter.  I ended up buying some single napped cotton flannel from fabric.com that I washed and cut out immediately.  I had already cut this dress and my Christmas dress, so I decided to do an assembly line with the sewing, since I could use the same dark navy thread for all three dresses.

I'm still not sure whether this was a good idea or not.  When I make one dress at a time, I can finish it in about 3 hours.  Making three at a time, doing all the pesky work times three, I ended up finishing two of the three dresses over three sessions, and still have the Christmas dress to finish.  I didn't really enjoy the process much at all, so I probably won't do that again.

I can't decide what I think of this dress.  The fabric is from Cotton+Steel, which I typically love, but this particular fabric isn't quite as soft and fluid as the others I've bought from them.  Since I was working with my Christmas dress at the same time (also from Cotton+Steel), I could really tell the difference.  I'm hoping it is just extra sizing and will soften with additional washing.  The color is a little strange too--it was listed as being "midnight navy", but it seems more black in person (in the photos, I realize it looks more dark navy).  I lengthened the bodice about 1/2" to make up for what I lose to the waist casing, and I think this works nicely.

I also put bright cobalt buttons and a matching buckle on the belt, in the style of the Button Dress, but decided after putting it on this morning that I really didn't like the looks of them, so I took off the buttons and swapped out the belt buckle.  I need to repeat to myself: simple is better, simple is better, simple is better.  I know I will wear this more often if it is unfussy.

The belt came out a bit big anyway, so everything is held together with safety pins until I can resew the snap and buckle properly.  I do like how the belt came together, even if it was a bit pesky.  There is an elastic waist casing as per my usual, so the belt is optional, but I do like the looks of it.

My bust darts came out slightly too long, I realized after putting it on this morning, but given how dark the fabric is, I think it isn't too noticeable at a distance.  I'm hoping to find a blue undershirt that will coordinate with this dress and the Midnight Sky dress, since they are similar blues.

My neighbor's cat was in the window watching me take pictures this morning.  Can you see his feet peeking out?  His name is Handsome, and my neighbor calls him Sam for short.  He's a pretty all-white cat, often to be found sitting in the living room windows.

In other news, I watched Phoenix this week.  I've been eager for that one to hit Netflix, and it exceeded my expectations.  Nina Hoss is one of my favorite German actresses, and she is so good in this one.  It is about a woman returning from the camps after WW2 with terrible disfiguring burns.  She has plastic surgery to repair her face, but then has to try and put her life back together after everything that has happened to her.  I won't say more, because there is so much that is wrapped up in the story, and the ending is devastating in a kind of terrible but beautiful way, so I won't spoil it.

Just the facts:

Zephyr Dress: Cotton+Steel fabric, bias tape, zip, vintage belt buckle, snap, petersham ribbon (for stabilizing the belt), elastic

Black undershirt: Ann Taylor (via ThredUp)

Tights: Foot Traffic

Boots: Macy's

Celtic jewelry: Ireland/Scotland