Chantilly Dress

This is the Chantilly Dress by Colette Patterns. 

Front View

The main fabric of the dress is a polyester lining fabric that I picked up at a garage sale.  The yoke and midriff pieces are a matching cotton with brown piping that I made as well.



Back View

 I thought adding piping to the yoke pieces would make the pieces pop and I think it does just that.

Close up of front panels with piping

I made a muslin first of just the top pieces and needed to take out about 2 inches of gathering in the front.  Being not very well endowed myself, there was just way too much fabric in the front for me. 

Closer close-up view!

 

The pattern has an invisible zipper on the side. You can see the tab of the zipper at the top of side seam here.

Another view

Another side/back view

The dress also has side in-seam pockets.  Since I was running out of fabric, I only had enough to put in one pocket instead of two.  You can see my lining fabric just peeking out in this picture.  Lining fabric is some cheap polyester that I already had in my stash. 

View of pocket

Happy Sewing!

Butterick 5923

Butterick 5923 is destined to be one of my favorite blouse patterns.  The pattern comes with 3 views - a short blouse, like I have made below, a longer mid-thigh length tunic or an above the knee length dress.  I can see myself making all three views. 

Since my fabric has a directional print to it, I wondered when I was cutting everything out if this would matter.  I think it turned out ok though.  I love the cowl neck drape effect on the blouse front. 



Front View

The blouse front is constructed of 3 different pieces, the front drape, pictured below, which is cut on the bias.  There is also a separate collar which makes the styling of this blouse quite unique. 

Front bias piece of blouse

The 2nd piece that makes up the front is called a "stay" pictured below.  The 3rd piece, which I don't have a photo of, is the bottom panel, cut on the straight of grain.  The stay has a finished front edge that will show underneath the front bias drape when constructed.
 


The front stay piece

Below is how the front bias piece and the stay are combined together to make up the front of the blouse.  The stay does exactly what it sounds like - it helps the front bias piece to "stay in place" so when you bend over, you don't have this huge gaping front.  It actually works quite well.


Front and stay combined

Here's a view of the back.  The only pattern piece cut on the bias is the front drape - the rest of the pieces are cut on the straight of grain.  There is elastic around the waist along with a belt. 

Back view

 

My fabric has a coffee theme to it and finally, I can wear my little coffee cup necklace!  I purchased it years ago and it has been in my jewelry box just waiting for the right fabric.  Considering I've had this fabric in my stash for probably as long as the necklace, you would have thought I would have made something sooner!

 

 

Coffee necklace

You can barely see the collar in this side view.  The collar would be more prominent if my print wasn't so busy, or, if I did a contrasting collar and belt - now there's a thought for another blouse!

Side view

The sleeves roll up and are held with a tab and button.  I did my usual button stacking technique.  For some reason, I just can't bear to use one little button on it's own - I think they look much better with a coordinating friend!  You can see the print on my fabric much better in this pic. 

Close up of sleeve

I hope you will consider making this blouse.  It's quite comfortable to wear and I'm sure I will get years of wear out of it. 

Happy Sewing!

 

The Sally Shirtdress

No. 124 - The Sally Shirtdress by Serendipity Studio

Below is my version of this wonderful pattern.  I first found the material on-line at Pink Chalk Fabrics.  Although I have never been to the shop, the next time I am in the Seattle area, I plan on visiting.  It looks like a wonderful shop on Bainbridge Island.  Anyways, my husband bought me a gift certificate and I knew when I saw this fabric, it would be perfect for the shirtdress.  


Front view

The pattern is fairly straight forward.  It has a front, back, sleeve and collar.  The bottom trim on the sleeves and hem can either be ruffled or a flat piece of fabric.  I opted for a little ruffle in some red and white polka dot coordinating fabric I found at a local quilt shop. 




Back view

I made a size small and it was very roomy.  The roominess is taken up by the pleats. The 8 pleats around the front and back requires a little math calculation, but it's nothing too difficult.  You can adjust the height and depth of the pleats according to where your waistline is.  I pin fitted mine first, to make sure the pleats were coming out the way I anticipated.  I wanted the pleats to end just below the bust and right at the bottom of the belt - which they did! 


Close up of buttons and belt

I also made the covered buttons and the belt.  I just happened to have in my stash the perfect belt buckle as well!  I think it was given to me by a friend a few years ago, but it matches perfectly!  One note on the covered buttons.  I purchased some new button covering kits by Dritz and they were terrible! My buttons kept falling apart. I've never run into that problem before - especially with just some thin quilting cotton.  I ended up taking them back to the store and using some old ones I already had in my stash. 

Before returning them, I did a size comparison on the new ones to the old ones and discovered that the prongs on the new ones were much shorter and not as sharp as my older ones - hence the problem.  There wasn't enough "teeth" to grab and hold the fabric. I e-mailed Dritz about the problem but never heard a reply from them.  Keep that in mind if you purchase some new button covering kits.  One thing I didn't try was interfacing the piece of fabric - that might have made a difference, but I doubt it.  Now when I'm looking at yard sales, I will buy as many old versions of the button covering kits that I can find!


Another view of the front

This really is a cute dress and very comfortable to wear.  I opted for the ruffle trim on the bottom hem and on the sleeve. 


Close up of hem

I feel like June Cleaver in this dress!  Especially with the pearl necklace and earrings!  


Sleeve detail

I hope you will give this pattern a try.  I'm sure I will be making another version soon!

Happy Sewing!