Before school started, we reviewed Mark’s teaching wardrobe. We had to remove a pair of grey wool dress pants because of a few tiny (moth?) holes, but there was still a lot of good fabric.
So, I made a dress pants dress for Amy.
I used the same pattern as for her baptism dress (which our friend’s daughter wore for her dedication on Saturday!), but with some adjustments.
I was limited in fabric, so I made the skirt as wide as I could but not as wide as the pattern called for. Because it was only a little wider than the bodice, I put in two pleats each side, front and back, instead of gathering the waist.
I also decided to use buttons I had on hand instead of a zipper. I’ve been saving these silvery floral buttons for over a decade (they’re from shorts I had in high school, I think). Finagling a button placket out of edges made for a zipper was an interesting challenge, but I think I pulled it off reasonably enough. If I knew more, I would have adjusted the bodice pattern, but I didn’t know how so I just worked with it the way it was.
I added a ribbon at the hem — it was the ties from a paper gift bag.
You can tell this fabric is from dress pants because I can’t quite iron the creases out completely! I need to try washing it and see how it turns out.
You are really talented Marcy. I can barely sew a button on a pair of pants…
Comment by katm — September 4, 2007 @ 6:16 am
Thanks K!
Oh, and my mom pointed out that you can use a spray or damp cloth of half white vinegar, half water to iron out stubborn creases — or to make creases sharper.
Comment by Marcy — September 4, 2007 @ 11:19 am
I really, really wish I had your talent! This is really beautiful! (((((HUGS))))) sandi~seeming to embody what you hate about nice~LOL!
Comment by titus2woman — September 6, 2007 @ 1:44 am
Sandi,
You don’t seem to me to hide behind a mask of distant politeness. And the reason I get angry about the kind of niceness that obliterates self is that I feel everyone has the right (and the God-given responsibility) to be a self, and I feel hurt on their behalf when anyone thinks God wants to obliterate their self. It’s an advocate’s anger, not a judge’s.
Comment by Marcy — September 6, 2007 @ 8:31 am
You might consider applying braids to the dress iF you can’t get the creases out. OR, make a seam & inset a contrast fabric. Please cover the creases with a brown grocery bag when you are trying to remove creases. Very creative work from a special persons (Dad’s ) pantsm sewn with Mom’s love. Takes me back to the days of sewing things from my husbands old Navy uniforms. Keep up the beautiful creative work!!! (from another seamstress)
Comment by Mildred Taylor — September 8, 2007 @ 8:32 pm
I don’t mind the vertical creases — kind of makes the dress even more formal. The ones I really want to iron out are horizontal, just an inch or so below the waist seam, so not a good place for trim or contrast fabric. I haven’t tried the vinegar and / or paper bag yet.
Cool about those old Navy uniforms — I bet you were able to salvage some of the trims, too.
Comment by Marcy — September 8, 2007 @ 8:54 pm