Fabricista Challenge Week 7: Mixed Prints
Monday, November 04, 2013
Mixing prints can be tricky but when done correctly brings out so much fun and
personality in an outfit. Here are the rules for this challenge:
Challenge: Using at least two prints,
coordinate them to make an outfit. Use only the fabric prints you have chosen to
make your pieces. Think about where you would wear your fun outfit and choose a
theme for your photo shoot.
You will be judged on creativity,
craftsmanship, how well your prints work together, your images, garment
personality, and fit.
After receiving the rules I headed straight to Joann Fabric on my lunch hour to get some ideas. I almost instantly spotted the two prints I wanted to use. A vibrant silky floral peach skin and a navy blue polka dot peach skin. Now what I've read on the internet about peach skin fabric is that it's most likely a woven polyester that is treated to have a mildly velvety textures just like a peach's skin. What I imagine when I think of peach skin is those tiny little hairs....nope, this fabric is not hairy. It has a silky touch and feels really nice against the skin.
I knew I wanted to make a dress and this fabric reminded me of Spring. It's only November and I'm already dreaming about Spring and apparently still sewing for the season. (It's gonna be a LONG winter) The pattern I chose was Cynthia Rowley's Simplicity 2250. I hadn't a clue that the bodice alone has 11 pattern pieces containing 7 darts, 4 pleats and a fold. I was slowly starting to see my weekend unfold. I mulled over Pattern Review.com for a couple days reading reviews and planning my attack.
I spent a whole evening after work just cutting out the pattern and fabric. I ran into a snag. After laying out my fabric on my cutting table (aka: kitchen island) I noticed a huge flaw in my fabric that ran at a diagonal all the way down the fabric.
I decided I didn't have time to return it the next day so I worked around it strategically placing my pattern pieces around the bad spot. Maybe this is why it was marked 50% off!?
16 pattern pieces in total for View C. I chose to leave out the pockets and the tie back. If I ever chose to wear a jacket with it I didn't want a hump back from the tie.
Now how scary looking is this pattern piece? If you follow the directions and assemble the darts in order you'll have no problems. It is time consuming and starts to play a little mind trickery on you after awhile but the end result is so worth it. I love what all the darts do for the print of the fabric.
The bodice is also fully lined and interlined. A lot of reviews have said the lining is too short for the bodice so I followed some other bloggers and lengthend my lining by an inch. The skirt has lots of gathers and pleats and my favorite part is the contrasting ruffled back casing and bottom hem. I had quite a bit of the polka dot fabric left so I also made a belt.
For the challenge we were to describe where we would wear our outfit. I imagine wearing it to an outside celebration decorated with lots of beautiful
flowers like a Garden Party or do those only exist in songs? I'm surrounded by lots of friends, food and good wine...or is that good food and wine? Either way it's all good!
And because I'm not one for all seriousness all the time here's a goof shot....who needs a glass???
Voting for this challenge is now over. Please go here to see the winner of this challenge and find out who's in the final three!
30 comments
A-dor-a-ble!!!!!!! Really nice print match. I have this pattern and have never touched it yet, I think I need to in spring, this is really a nice dress. And I swoon and melt every time I see that puggie of yours in your photos!
ReplyDeleteOmg I seriously love this. Florals and stripes/polka dots are on of my favorite combinations!
ReplyDeleteVoted! This dress is unbelievably cute and fun :) The print combination is perfect, and the bodice detail is amazing.
ReplyDeleteVery cute:) mixing prints is so hard! I can never do it.. I have a macaron to start but have no idea what to do :/ hah
ReplyDeleteThe patterns you chose look great together! Pattern mixing can be really hard, but you pulled it off really well here!
ReplyDeletePolka dots and floral are always a perfect combo! Another gorgeous make Shannon!!
ReplyDeleteThis is ADORABLE!!!!
ReplyDeleteHow cute!!! Love this dress on you-- it's so you! But ACK! So many pattern pieces! And that bodice piece-- ay caramba! Good on ya for powering through that!
ReplyDeleteI voted for you!! Once again, I think yours is the best and I'm not just saying that because I have a biased opinion ;) :) I love the fabrics you picked and holy crap you're amazing for putting that bodice together!!
ReplyDeleteYou have my vote... I love this dress and I love the 2 matching fabrics. The dress turned out very cute. I talked my youngest in to another one of these for her Christmas dress. That bodice can be a 'bear" but I took it one step at a time and it all turned out well! ~Laurie
ReplyDeleteI love this dress so very much. You definitely got my vote (again).
ReplyDeleteThanks girl!
ReplyDeleteIs so much worth all the hassle!!
ReplyDeleteThanks! xoxo!!
ReplyDeleteThanks! It was quite challenging!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks!!
ReplyDeleteI've always been scared to mix prints too!
ReplyDeletemaybe you could do floral and polka dots??
ReplyDeleteThanks for your vote!!
ReplyDeleteYes you must make this pattern. It's such a cute style!
ReplyDeleteIt's become one of mine now too!!
ReplyDeleteYou have such a good eye for mixing prints!! Looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThe detailing on the bodice is to die for!!!!
You have paired your prints geniously! I love the floral with the black and white polka dots. And, I would definitely wear this to a garden party or even outdoor wedding. So pretty!
ReplyDeleteI love your dress at first sight. Your choice of fabric is well put together.... and then I saw the detail of your dress OMG - I want it! The pattern features are just beautiful. All the best with this challenge - you are my choice.
ReplyDeletePERFECTION!
ReplyDeleteLove the dress, the fabrics go so well together :)
ReplyDeleteI love the floral fabric. It's so vibrant! Great choices on pairing the fabrics. You look adorable and it looks like the most fun party dress ever! Well done!!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a gorgeous dress the two fabrics look amazing together. Sooo Pretty!!
ReplyDeleteThis is SOOOO adorable!!! Love it!!!
ReplyDelete