Tropical Sweetheart dress - finished!!

I posted a while ago about this dress i was working on to take to Hawaii - it is based on this

Unfortunately I didn't get as many/as good of pictures of it as I wanted to - especially of the back. I added a ruffle down each side of the zipper, which had the double benefit of looking pretty awesome and hiding the zipper a little more! Here's a crappy little picture of it:




I did the dress in a cotton watercolor print with a hot pink satin for top lining. I used the same lining fabric to make a one shouldered bow. I've been loving all the one shouldered designs that are so popular now, and that seemed like a good way to easily incorporate the effect!!



The other modification I made to the dress was that I didn't include the sleeves - easy change :)



I have a bachlorette party coming up in a month or so, and I'm thinking of using this same pattern to make a strapless or one-shouldered red dress with big rosettes on it or something, kind of like one of these:


What do you think??

Tropical Sweetheart Dress - in progress

As you probably already know, I don't often use patterns. I usually prefer to draft my own (without much success) or to just start cutting and cross my fingers (also not so successful). However, sometimes even I am realistic and realize that without a pattern my idea probably won't work.

So, I am using a pattern for the first time in a while, and hoping it works! I love the style of it, so if it works out I will definitely use it again. For this one I'm doing it without the sleeves, as it's kind of a tropical print. Here it is: McCalls 5971

I also wanted to post a picture of the cotton fabric I got for it - it's a lovely tropical watercolor kind of pattern, with big turquoise and fuchsia flowers on a white background. I couldn't find it on the Joann's website though, so you'll have to wait to see it :)

Flower Belt

This belt is a really cute addition to any shirt or dress, and it takes very little fabric. I’d get ¼ of a yard to be safe, but you really only need a little over 1/8 of a yard. In this tutorial, the belt is about an inch wide and there are 7 flowers (also called yoyos), but you can vary this however you like. Sorry, I didn’t do a very good job of taking pictures as I went on this one!

Things you need:
- 1/8 – 1/4 yard of fabric (at least 44” will work best)
- 7 buttons (or one for every flower you want to make).
- Needle and thread, sewing machine.

Directions:
Step 1: Cut out the main belt piece, but cutting a strip two inches wide all the way down the length of the fabric, so you have a piece about 2 inches by 44. Fold over, right side in, and sew. Turn right side out, and iron. Turn edges in and press, then sew to finish them.

Step 2: Make the flowers. I made two sizes. For the smaller size, cut a 1.5 by 6 inch strip of fabric. For the larger size, cut a 3 by 9 inch strip. Fold it over right side in and sew, then turn right side out and finish the edges off like the belt.

Step 3: By hand, stitch a line down the seam, through only one piece of fabric (so, not through both of the pieces. It will gather better this way). Then, pull to gather the fabric into a flower and stitch the edges together. Here’s picture of the belt, with some finished flowers and some in progress flowers.

Step 4: Sew the flowers on the belt. I staggered them up and down on the belt, but you can place them however you want. Then, sew the buttons on in the center of each of the flowers. I made a mistake and only bought 6 buttons, so I’m missing one. Enjoy your new belt!

I made this belt to go with the shirt, which I also made. It has really neat straps in the back, and pleats where the shirt and the straps meet. I'm thinking about drafting a pattern for it; would anyone be interested in one?