B4789

I've been holding onto this post for a few days waiting for my neighbor's internet signal to strengthen. No such luck. So unfortunately, you get crappy blackberry pictures. This will end soon. I promise. I'm having my own internet installed in the next month.

This dress, a Maggie London from Butterick, was hands down the easiest dress I've ever made. Four pieces, no sleeves to set, no gathers, just a little twist and some seams through the underbust and up the sides and you've got a dress. A great fitting dress. I was surprised and impressed.





I made this one out of an ITY knit from Denver Fabrics that I've had in my stash for about a year. Great pattern for a material like this. Especially in a print where you don't need to worry about matching the pattern. The only thing I would do differently if I made this again would be to leave out the center back seam and cut on a fold. Its an unnecessary seem.

How to Re-Wear a Bridesmaid's Dress

I've mentioned my love for RIT dye previously. Once again, let me proclaim its awesomeness.

Anyone who has shelled out the big bucks for a bridesmaid dress can understand the sinking feeling you get when yet another one of your friends excitedly bestows the honor of attending her in her wedding upon you. Oh yay, I'm so happy for you! But geez another dress I'll never wear that will cost me more than my entire wardrobe... (Slight exageration) And we've all heard the, "Oh just shorten it and you can wear it again!" mantra. Ummm... no. No you can't. It still looks like a bridesmaid dress in a color I would never purchase for myself in a polyester no one but a bridesmaid has worn since the '90s.

Well, here's a trick that might help those of you with one of the cotton-blend dresses that were so popular from David's Bridal the last several bridal seasons.

RIT dye. It won't dye the lining, zipper, or thread, so pick a color that works with the origininal color of the dress. I chose black, but the final product came out navy. Just follow the directions on the package and you'll go from this:





To this:





With very little effort or extra moolah involved.

I also added a little rosette made from some fabric I had lying around my studio. I used my gathering foot to sew the blue satin to the polka-dot sheer and then gathered by hand into a rosette and tacked it on the waistband of the skirt. Cheap and cheerful and really helps the dress look less like bridal-party-wear.



Ps. Excuse the crappy blackberry pics in the bathroom mirror with my laundry drying behind me. Its what happens when your brand new dryer starts shooting sparks.

Monster Monday

Dexter the inspector. Checking my measurements.


I can definitely see where the phrase, "curiosity killed the cat" comes from.

This one is Molly ontop of the "spare airmattress" and the lump next to her is Dexter underneath the comforter.