Saturday 9 March 2013

FO: Simplicity 2246/ Sew Lisette Traveller Dress

Oh yes, I am a cultured person, hanging around museums, and looking pensive, is my modus operandi
Finally, I finished my Simplicity 2246 / Traveller dress in dark blue.   Yipeeeeeeee.  I started this back in August I think, oh no, checking my past posts I realise I cut it out in June. so that is 10 months in the making.   


This is view A - the classic shirt dress style.  I sewed it in fits and starts from Summer to  the second week of March. It wasn't such a long time in the making because it is a hard pattern to sew, I just kept getting distracted by other projects.  It had been waiting just for the buttonholes and buttons for three months.  finally I sewed those buttonholes in half an hour one morning this week.  And then wondered why I had been putting them off for so long. 
Please note, me-made bag



Another reason why it took a long time to complete is because I made it as a wearable muslin first and so didn't have that shiny lure of a new pattern when making it the second time.
The wearable muslin version


 I  am glad I finished it as I like wearing it very much. Very much. Plus it was getting on my nerves, just hanging up in my dining room, having baby food thrown at it.  A bit like a guest who outstayed their welcome. *

 For fabric I used some blue linen look cheapy fabric from the Rag Market in Birmingham.  It was £3 per metre I think.  it was originally a brighter blue, more like royal blue, but in September I dyed it with an indigo dye as I wanted it to be a very dark navy.  I was aiming to make a very boring, plain, classic shirt dress that will be worn with lots of different accessories, cardigans and footwear. 

For some reason I made the sleeves just above the elbow.  I can't remember why now. 
I used very simple little pale blue shirt buttons, having been tempted by pretty polka dot buttons, red floral buttons and white vintage buttons, I remembered I was trying to keep it plain!

 Bad points: This fabric creased a lot by on the skirt the end of the day,  so it's a dress that needs careful ironing before each wear. 
Good points: This ticks the box for a plain dress, that can be worn in a variety of ways. making use of clothes and shoes I already own.  Not to mention my substantial scarf collection.   I think it has year round potential.  I am pleased I stuck to a plan for once and kept it simple resisting the lure of novelty buttons, piping and trims.  I am also sooooooo happy this dress is no longer hanging up half done.

I am looking a bit shifty now.  Think the attendant's coming over.  Time for a sharp exit.
Finally I have to confess in a sewing geek way, that when I can't get to sleep, I still keep planning possible ways to make version C of this dress in my head, with a fuller contrasting skirt and  puff sleeved top.  I have several possibilities in my stash. Am I the only sewing geek who plans patterns rather than count sheep?


* DISCLAIMER: Please note we do not really throw baby food or any other food at guests here, how ever long they stay.  Honest. 


14 comments:

  1. hahaha I always put off buttonholes too, glad I am not the only one.

    The dress turned out fab, looks so good on you x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Gorgeous! Good job on finishing it! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Plain items always get worn more, at least they do in my life. Hoorah for finishing your dress, and as for falling asleep planning, urm, virtually every night!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great dress! I wish I could sew as nice as that! Also looking very cultural in museum:)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Looks great! A real classic, this one you will use for years I'm sure.

    ps. my son is looking wiht me and he thinks you look like me:)

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is really cute! I love it in that navy color!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Heh, I do a lot of pretend sewing (I won't call it planning, as only maybe 10% actually make the jump to actual sewn objects) while lying in bed. Both late at night and in the morning, with my first cup of coffee. :D

    Yay for finishing that dress, and it does look like a great staple! The navy with bright accessories looks lovely on you. Also: yay, pockets! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. That is just the kind of classic dress I always want. Isn't it crazy how hard it is to find fabric in that deep indigo color? You look ever so lovely and cultured, I would never suspect that baby food might be lodged on you!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Debbie, I love this! Beautiful, classic, stylish ... YOU! Isn't it funny how we sometimes let the gems that are 95% done, linger for ages? (Although, buttonholes, kinda daunting. For me, that's right up there next to sewing on buttons, redoing a hem, and zippers!)

    Notice you've been on a roll recently ... love it! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love it! Well worth the wait. I'd like to have a go at this pattern one day.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ah it's fabulous!!! Great work. What a wearable, classic garment xxx

    ReplyDelete
  12. That's really lovely - and buttonholes! That's pretty heroic.

    ReplyDelete
  13. It looks so good! Very nice and classic - and I love it together with the brightly colored cardigan. :-) And yes. I plan sewing projects instead of counting sheep…

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm sorry I am so late commenting, been rather a month.... However, this is truly fab and makes me yearn to make it. The style is very you: arty chic! LOVE it being a plain colour.

    ReplyDelete