A dress for me! Simplicity 0269

Simplicity 0269 Amazing Fit,  "The Wrap Dress"

I saw this pattern at Joann's last week and really liked it.  It calls for stretch knits.  In fact, I almost bought the very same fabric to make it up in, but chickened out!

I can do that with fabric.

I carried it around for a while and even looked at it draped around me in front of  a mirror they had in the store, but finally decided I would likely never try a dress on in the store if it was that color green and probably shouldn't spend so much on it not really knowing how I'd like it on me.

And that's how I talk myself out of lovely things.

So, I found this "black lace" poly/spandex stretch knit in the Red Tag section for $6 a yard instead!  It really is much more "me".

I wore a black cami under it as it is a bit low cut for my taste.

I found this fabric an absolute bear to cut!  It moves if you breath near it.

I used a dull rotary cutter to cut it out.  Hmm....maybe the dull blade constantly snagging the fabric added to my difficulty.  You think?  I have since replaced that dull blade and have reveled in it's smooth-as-butter performance ever since.  Gee, it's the little things.  :)

Based on the pattern measurements, I made a size 14 "curvy fit" and graded up in the hip area.  Because "curvy"  just isn't curvy enough for me.  I had to laugh when I saw the curvy fit was only an inch wider than the regular fit.  I would definitely need more than an inch!

See what I mean?

Once I had the fabric cut, it went together so quickly!  Well, quickly for me.  I am slow, so it took me about 4 hours start to finish (including cutting).   If you are a speedster, you'd probably finish in a couple of hours.

I just used a straight stitch and stretched the fabric ever so slightly while stitching.  I found this to be better than using a stretch stitch, zig zag, or overedge stitch.  Go figure.  I didn't even finish the raw edges.  Knits are so great that way.

Of course, that was also before I had a serger!  I will likely be using it to do all the sewing on knits in the future.  Love that thing!  Thank you, Jackie!

Overall, I am quite pleased with the results!  Not bad for my first dress for me, huh?

I would label this dress as EASY.

I should also tell you the pattern calls for basting the dress wrong sides together first, then pinning any adjustments, picking out the basting stitches, and re-sewing the entire thing.

I did NOT do that.

I just sewed it up, tried it on and figured I'd pick out any trouble spots if there were any.  Can you believe there weren't?  My sewing mojo would have been severely wounded if I had followed those directions and then had to pick out a million stitches when there were no adjustments to be made!

Good thing I'm a rebel.

I think this dress would be flattering for so many figures.  I do wish I'd made it just a bit longer (I already added 2"), but that's just how I like my dresses.

  

My 9 year old little boy kept snapping pictures just as I would say, "Did you take it???"  He smirked everytime.  Wise-guy.

Now I want to go back and buy that green fabric I chickened out of buying and make another!