First made dress

[rode_kater]

So recently I got into my head that I'd like to try make a dress that is more suited to my measurements. I have a couple of nice dresses, but the opening for the head is larger than I'd like (you see more of the chest and associated hair than I'd like). Also because I'm taller than a women with my chest width would be I find the waist is higher than I'd like.

So this is my first attempt:

Basically started with two dresses, copied the top from one and the bottom from the other and then copied the shoulder from a t-shirt. I then spent a whopping €3 on some linen from the second hand store and voila!

I'm pretty happy with the result, the waist is about where I'd like. I learnt a lot about hems in the meantime and my SO graciously explained some of the secrets of sewing.

According to a recent thread apparently you shouldn't doing bare legs and bare arms at the same time, but I think this can work.

[denimini]

Looks very good, more like a skirt and top after beachlion's "stealth" skirt style. Linen is a great material although I have never sewn with it.

According to a recent thread apparently you shouldn't doing bare legs and bare arms at the same time, ......

Hmmm, I don't know what thread that was but there would be many here to disagree.

[Jim]

According to a recent thread apparently you shouldn't doing bare legs and bare arms at the same time, but I think this can work.

That may be a fashion idea, but not for people who work or are otherwise active outside in hot weather.

I think it works fine.

[r.m.anderson]

Nicely done and my favorite color BLUE with contrasting WHITE sleeveless "T" !

Prejudice - stereo-type accustomed to skirts worn by the other half with the waist higher on the waist (closer to the navel) and showing more leg.

Good that the hem shows a wide "A" line for ease in movement.

As for showing more arm (sleeveless) and leg - again we are accustomed to the other half showing more skin.

??? how is the waist fasten (closed) - elastic pull on - or hidden zipper ???

[Grok]

Well done, rode_kater

[rode_kater]

Nicely done and my favorite color BLUE with contrasting WHITE sleeveless "T" !

Yes, I like those colours too

Prejudice - stereo-type accustomed to skirts worn by the other half with the waist higher on the waist (closer to the navel) and showing more leg.

I measured it to so the waist came at the same place my pants usually come to. Except you usually don't see that under a t-shirt. My SO thinks the dress is too short, would you believe?

I also think I was aiming for the top and bottom to be the same size visually, but it didn't work out that way. Have to work out why.

For some reason though the waist gives the impression of girly proportions, but that might be the materials as much as anything.

??? how is the waist fasten (closed) - elastic pull on - or hidden zipper ???

Ha, I can pull it over my head would you believe. That probably only works because the top is fairly straight, no cinching at the waist.

[rode_kater]

Looks very good, more like a skirt and top after beachlion's "stealth" skirt style.

You're right, it does look that way . I hadn't thought of that.

I think the next step is to figure it what adjustments I want to make then pull it apart and do it again, this time with pockets and what in Dutch is called a "beleg" (can't find an appropriate translation). It's where you sew a copy of the neck/arm part and then turn it inside-out to make the edges look neat.

[Grok]

Nicely done and my favorite color BLUE with contrasting WHITE sleeveless "T" !

Yes, I like those colours too

Prejudice - stereo-type accustomed to skirts worn by the other half with the waist higher on the waist (closer to the navel) and showing more leg.

Except you usually don't see that under a t-shirt. My SO thinks the dress is too short, would you believe?

I also think I was aiming for the top and bottom to be the same size visually, but it didn't work out that way. Have to work out why.

For some reason though the waist gives the impression of girly proportions, but that might be the materials as much as anything.

??? how is the waist fasten (closed) - elastic pull on - or hidden zipper ???

Ha, I can pull it over my head would you believe. That probably only works because the top is fairly straight, no cinching at the waist.

We should consider what looks good on a man. (which might perhaps be different for women?). What I see looks good.

[Spirou003]

With the current photo the dress looks fairly long, not too short. But it's taken from your head, so that might be an impression and your dress may be shorter than it looks in this photo.

About the reason why it is not the same size in top and bottom, I have my ideas. If you measure them now, are they the same size? I ask because sometimes we can do small errors which propagate quickly. I had this with my handmade skirt, an erroneous approximation at one centimeter finally gave an error of almost 10 centimeters.
I think the reason of that impression is that your "middle" body (waist and a bit higher) is more circular than your lower body (when we consider only an horizontal layer seen from high) then the cloth is wrapping your body circularly at middle, and more elliptically at bottom which gives that impression.

About the line between shirt and skirt part, that's maybe due to how you did assemble the parts. What I would suggest in that situation, is to use that kind of technique: http://www.barthfashion.org/icours/ctrabattue.gif . That way, the cloth itself will not have any distorsion caused by some residual hem.

[rode_kater]

I think the reason of that impression is that your "middle" body (waist and a bit higher) is more circular than your lower body (when we consider only an horizontal layer seen from high) then the cloth is wrapping your body circularly at middle, and more elliptically at bottom which gives that impression.

I think this is it, the top half is indeed rounder, but because the there's no pattern it gives the illusion of being larger.

About the line between shirt and skirt part, that's maybe due to how you did assemble the parts. What I would suggest in that situation, is to use that kind of technique: http://www.barthfashion.org/icours/ctrabattue.gif . That way, the cloth itself will not have any distorsion caused by some residual hem.

If you look at the pattern (below) the top of the bottom half has a different rounding from the bottom of the top half. So when you sew it together you get a little gathering. It was by accident, but I think I actually like the effect.


Ignore the missing bit in the top right, ran out of paper but it's not needed for cutting fortunately.

[skirtyscot]

This is all a bit too technical for me; I don't sew. So I'll just say that I think it looks like a good thing to wear on a hot summer's day!

[rode_kater]

Ha, thanks. I don't really sew either, however, it was much easier than I thought. And surprisingly technical in a way. I'm mathematically minded and the whole thing about seams, order of sewing and which parts join where makes it quite the mental exercise. Especially since you do much of the work inside out. Joining the wrong things is surprisingly common.

I remade the dress with pockets but I botched some of the seams so I'm going to have to do that again some time.

[Spirou003]

Your pattern looks like a bit uncomplete to me, I have the feeling that parts for sewing are missing. But it can be me, I never used any at the time, only seen some pictures of patterns.

I understand what you say about mental exercice Actually I think the big part in sewing is not when you start to use your machine or your needle, but all moments in where you think to the result you want, how to achieve it, design parts to be used, cut them in your sheets, etc. and that can be challenging sometimes!

Oh, and I forgot in my first message: nice work!