Tiki dress for drinking.

When I first got this pattern, I didn't particularly like it. I thought it was so not my style, and i just put it in the back of my pattern box.

But then I found myself thinking about it more and more, and I made it for the first time in a brick wool crepe. Then back in the box it went.

I was looking through some of my old unfinished projects some time ago and found an early attempt at a really bad blouse, and a skirt that was too short and too wide. I remember buying some extra of this fabric some years ago, and with an impending get together at a Tiki bar, I decided it was time to put this cotton to use.

I knew I didn't have enough fabric for the dress, so Id have to do some piecing. I made sure I cut the skirt out first, then I used the back of the old blouse for the new dress bodice.

Well, It wasn't large enough. I took two panels from the too wide skirt and cut the pattern to make a kind of nice design, then lining up the grain, I cut the cutting from the pattern into the new fabric. *whew* Also, half way through this project my serger quit on me (rats)!

So here is where serger meets my impatient zig zag stitching.

The front of the skirt is actually two completely different pieces, so being the silly person I am, I made SURE I didn't get them mixed up and marked them accordingly so they wouldn't be opposite.

I wish I could tell you that the facing worked out as well. Oops.

All in all I do like the dress, and its wild colors. I hope its a hit at the Tiki G-to-G.

Finished images can be seen on NVL.

8 comments:

  1. Regardless of the effort needed, it was well worth it!! I love this job you did on this dress. May I ask a question? What size was the pattern riginally?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks!
    The pattern originally is a 42 bust. So I didn't have to do too much grading, just a couple of inches.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love this dress! and what a great job piecing it together.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi there, I just found you and blog today--through Sew Retro--and I think I love you! I'm on the low end of plus size, but still big enough that vintage patterns have to be hunted down and futzed with, so I love love love that you're selling large sized reproductions!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fabulous. I love the fabric and the asymmetrical button placket.

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  6. Very creative use of fabric you already had in the stash, and the result is simply stunning - and looks very much like the original in choice of colour too (looking at view 2 in the left corner).

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm so happy that I found your blog and store! It is Great to find retro patterns that will fit a woman that hasn't a size negative (-34") inch waistline, lol. Thanks for helping the rest of us.

    Happy,happy,Joy,joy!
    elise

    ReplyDelete

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