The Creature

I honestly don't know what to call this dress, so we'll just go with The Creature, mkay?

This was an experiment in stash busting, and I think I like it!

Last summer, I bought a yard of navy blue linen to make a Portrait blouse and then decided I wasn't into them so I left the fabric in my bin.  Later in the year, I was gifted several substantial fabric remnants and this graphic piece was included.  I really loved the print and was sorry there wasn't more of it.  It was a little over a yard, so I figured I could squeak a girls' dress out of it.

As it happened, the two pieces ended up next to each other in my fabric bin and I thought they looked so well together that I considered making coordinating separates.  I didn't have enough linen for a proper skirt, however, and this particular colorway is discontinued.  I let the fabric sit a bit longer while I had a think about it.  Sometime last week, I suddenly thought of combining them into a dress!

Et voila!  My original idea was to put the print on the bottom and the linen on top, but I didn't have enough of the print to do that, so I switched them.  I had fumes of fabric left after cutting; it was close on the skirt especially.  The pockets are a bit shallower than usual as a result, but still plenty usable.  

I was mostly concerned that the graphic print wouldn't look well next to my face, but I think it is fine.  In the fall, a navy cardigan will pull it all together nicely, I think.

The linen is very light and breezy, so the dress does work for warmer weather.  The top is a mid-weight cotton, so not quite as cool, but not suffocating either.  I did have to piece the sleeves, as is usual when I make this pattern on a 44" wide fabric, and usually the join doesn't show much, but on this one it looked a bit odd, so I added a strip of bias tape on the join as a design element to hide it.  I think it actually gives the top some visual interest and breaks up the print nicely.  So win-win!

Nothing else to say really.  Just my M7353 with my now-standard woven adjustments.  It's quite comfortable and the arms fit well.  There's a bit of mechanical stretch in the garment, so that helps as well.

I watched Leap Year while I was cutting and sewing this dress.  The film was entirely predictable and I admit I fast-forwarded through some parts, but it was okay to have on in the background.  I mostly watched it for Matthew B. Goode, who was excellent in the film.  What can I say?  It was a rom-com.  Mental fluff.  We all need some from time to time, I think.

In random domestic news,

Sometimes my boys give me hope:

No, they aren't twins, but Boo is very tall for his age.  The girls are close in size to each other as well.  I'm constantly asked if I have two sets of twins.  (I think I'd be ready for the funny farm if so!)