I magically dropped off the face of the blogsphere. I’ve been sewing but had very little time to sit and write.
Spring is here… finally! Here’s a dress to celebrate.
The Spring Dress Journey…
Before you see more dress photos… here’s the story behind this project.
I’ve got little love for the off-the-shoulder look that has been haunting the retail stores and sewing blogs. Some of my sewing friends will be stifling their laughter to see me in an off-the-shoulder dress/top at all, given my distinct lack of enthusiasm/bewilderment for this 2016 fashion trend.
I enjoy puzzling out what I don’t like about certain looks – and sometimes how to interpret a look to be more ‘me’.
After much internet cruising and considering, I realised what I mostly didn’t like about the off-the-shoulder look was the necklines gathered with elastic. When I saw a few Style Arc Cara Tops made up (see end of post for links), I was curious about the flat band across the front of the front and the use of elastic at the back to provide the tension to hold the top in place. So I decided to investigate – by making one of course. This is a very simple top to make – and it uses very little fabric. An ideal stash buster!
The Style Arc Cara Top test run (still unhemmed) in cotton voile. My oldest tattiest jeans… I care not, I love them… I was surprised to not ‘hate’ this top when I made it. If I decide to make this wearable… I’ll add lace when I hem it, it is too short for my long-waisted self!
The Style Arc Cara Top test run – I found I needed to shorten the back elastic just a little to pull the front flat band firm against my upper chest.
Once I had this idea in my head, I couldn’t shake it and I needed to ‘sew it out of my head’ so I could move onto other projects.
Style Arc Cara Top as a dress – it’s been fun and rewarding to see this dress emerge from my head and come to life.
The fabric I used is a gorgeous large floral woven rayon from Spotlight (Australia). It is very flimsy and a little sheer however the gathering helps disguise most of the transparency. This dress won’t last forever… however nor will the off-the-shoulder look.
Style Arc Cara Top as a dress – back view
To create the skirt I simply used all the fabric remaining (I purchased 3.5m for this project of 135m wide fabric – noting a sewed a size 4 top and my height is 5 foot 4 inches). I used to the bottom width and curve of the top to cut the waistline and simply cut the skirt with a generous a-line flare heading toward the hem. I added a little to the width of the front skirt piece to enable me to create a front split. I then cut the front piece in 1/3 and 2/3 pieces so the split would sit over one thigh. I find these maxi skirt splits the easiest and most graceful to walk in.
Style Arc Cara Top / Dress – I think this is a style that I would always fiddle with when I wear
The entire garment is French seamed. The edges of the front split are turned under twice and sewn down the length of the skirt so no raw edges can be seen.
A windblown Style Arc Cara Top / Dress – and it doubles as a wind sock!
The top is quite ‘blousy’ very loose and full – and it is the look I was after. Just soft, feminine and loose.
This dress isn’t a work of art, it’s not my best sewing due to the fragile fabric… but it’s soft and pretty – and sometimes that’s enough for me.
Pattern: Style Arc Cara Top (purchased from Etsy). Size 4.
Fabric: Floral woven rayon, Spotlight Australia. Available online.
Location: Lighthouse Beach, Port Macquarie Australia
Also see: Very Purple Person | My Dress Made | Creating in the Gap | Thornberry on Instagram, I couldn’t find it on her blog.
