Flat-Front Everyday Petticoat

 

I've mentioned before that I have a strong preference for fullness in skirts to be distributed more towards the sides and back, leaving the front flat. Besides finding it more flattering (who doesn't love a flatter tummy?) I actually find it more practical. As much as I love big swishy skirts, they can get in the way at times! By moving most of the fullness to the sides and back, it kind of pushes all that extra fabric behind me so it doesn't get in my way, but I still get to enjoy yards of fabric floating around me. :-)

I also find it to be extremely common in real vintage patterns and dresses. Here are just a few examples:

 

 

There's even one for a petticoat!

Since a lot of the purchased petticoats have fullness evenly distributed, I used this as inspiration and made my own. I wanted a comfy/non-scratchy version, though, and more for everyday dresses, so I went with a very light cotton lawn.

I didn't use a pattern to make this, just attached a circular top part to gathered rectangles, gathered where I wanted fullness, left it flat in front, added a few layers, and that was that. Pretty simple!

 

 

Inside I sandwiched some tulle for a little fullness.

 

 

It's comfortable and works well for everyday wear when I'm feeling like I want a little extra fullness.

 

What's interesting to me is that I've noticed in some of the repro patterns, the original sketches had flat fronts but it isn't reflected in the pattern, like this one:

 

 

Butterick 6582

In the full skirted version on the pattern, the front is flat, but on the line drawings it's gathered in front.

 

 

In this one the difference is very clear from the comparison of the sketches to the made-up version on the front:

 

 

 

Of course that's easy enough to remedy, but it's always interesting to me to see little changes like this and wonder why they were made!

 

In the meantime, I'll be rocking my flat fronted petticoat and dresses. :-)





Pinspiration Monday - Cotton Day Dress Possibilities

So as I said last week, I need more cotton day dresses that aren't too fussy or fancy. I'm looking through my pattern stash and fabric stash to see what I can come up with!

Here are some potential patterns I have on hand...




McCalls 7086

Vogue 2267

Simplicity 1459

Butterick 6175

And potential cotton fabrics I have on hand...

 

 

 

 

 

Decisions, decisions!!  

Instagram Friday

Working on a fun little project! :-D

A photo posted by Stephanie Lochet (@slochet) on Apr 24, 2015 at 4:04pm PDT

Raspberry Mocha Day Dress

Have you ever made something that you didn't expect much out of, and it ended up being something you wear all the time? That was the case with this dress! I really made this dress as a wearable muslin, out of a kind of drab dark pink and mocha cotton fabric I'd gotten at a liquidation sale for very cheap. The bodice is actually McCalls 6466, the pattern I used for the bridesmaid dresses I will one day post about!

I whipped this up just to see how the bodice overlay went together. I grabbed what I had in my stash, and figured I could use it as a day dress to wear mostly around the house.

I think that usually, when I'm planning a dress for myself, I tend to always want to go fancy. Because of that, I end up making really nice dresses that I don't feel like wearing while I'm doing chores around the house or running around doing errands.

Sorry for the wrinkles, I really was wearing this today!!

But since this dress is simple and plainer than usual for me, I'm happy to wear it for any occasion. It's super comfortable too!

For the skirt, I just did a simple rectangular gathered dirndl type, but not gathered in the center front (I prefer the fullness on the sides and in the back.) I also added a fun little lace and ribbon trim! I always have at least one pocket in full skirts, and this one was no exception.

I also have a waist stay inside, which makes such a difference to help just cinch that waist in. (I have lots of options there for a fluctuating waistline, lol.)

I just feel so comfy in this dress, and I wear it so much more than I ever planned to! It has made me realize I need to add some more plain, simple day dresses to my wardrobe.

Every time I start planning though I want to go fancy!! I just need to tame that desire, though, as I know I'll get more use out of another simpler dress if I wear it as much as this one.

Pinspiration Monday - Fun Backdrops

I've been thinking lately about trying to create some kind of background to use outside for my Etsy shop photos. Right now my back yard is completely empty and bare, I don't even have a tree back there! But I have plenty of room to use, so I've been looking around at ideas on Pinterest to get some inspiration, because I'd love to take better advantage of the light.

 

Love the idea of using up fabric strips in this way! The texture of the fabrics is so interesting. I could think of a lot of fun fabric combinations, but for backdrops I'd love a neutral version like this.

 





 

 

I also love the idea of using a painted wood, this is a great tutorial on making a wood panel backdrop.

 

 

 

 

Another great idea is using strips of tulle, it's so light and fluffy and gathers so well!

 

 

 





Instagram Friday

Chose the pattern for my yellow flower fabric! Can't wait to get started. :-) #lovetosew

A photo posted by Stephanie Lochet (@slochet) on Apr 17, 2015 at 9:48pm PDT

Red Damask Peplum Top - McCalls 6896

Last year while planning my wardrobe before our trip to France, I went a bit peplum crazy! I tried several different peplum top patterns, and I ended up liking McCalls 6896 the best.

 

I think it was the princess seams that made the fit so effortless, and I loved the fullness of the peplum. I fully lined it, and actually ended up omitting the zipper because I used view D, with the slit in the top, which allowed enough room to pull it over my head. (I was in a hurry so the quicker the sew the better!)

That meant I couldn't get it on my me-sized dress form though, lol, so here she is on my standard dress form.

 

 

This ended up being one of my favorite items of clothing for the trip, and even after the trip. Here I am wearing it in Paris, standing in front of Marché Saint Pierre, ready to get my fabric store fix. :-)

 



Pinspiration Monday

Since I can sew for myself again (I gave up sewing for myself during Lent!) I've been dreaming of my next projects. Pretty sure I'll be making a dress next, and I love staring at vintage patterns and just dreaming. So that's what I'm doing. :-)