Skip to main content

New Look 6018 - Dress in Red and Stripes

When I started thinking about spring dresses for my girls, I wanted to buy new fabric. I had seen some inspiring pictures online and in catalogs and I wanted to copy some of those ideas. But, I'm trying to sew from stash as much as possible and truthfully, sometimes limiting the choices makes the process more creative and satisfying.

So, for my firstborn, here's what I came up with:

New Look 6018

Maybe you recognize the stripes from the T-shirt photo? This used up the last of it (and I'm glad to see it gone!). The red twill was given to me by someone else who was destashing. Same with the navy used for the piping and the red (metal!) invisible zipper. Very economical!

I did purchase the pattern - New Look 6018. The measurements given on the pattern envelope and tissue are dependable, but I'm not as pleased with the fit/shape as I was with my other daughter's dress. Of course, it's a very different style, so comparing them maybe isn't so fair.

Have I ever mentioned that I love piping? Probably. I don't think I'd be exaggerating to say that I consider adding piping to about 80% of what I make. I like how it defines design lines. It can add color. I think it falls in the detail/embellishing territory without being flashy, ruffly, poufy, sparkly or other adjectives that don't really describe my style. There were lots of opportunities for piping on this dress.

New Look 6018

Since I wanted the square neckline to still be square after it was piped, I did it in two pieces. It took me a couple of tries to get this right and I'd have a hard time explaining it now. I do know that it is important to clip to the corner before doing the horizontal piece (the vertical pieces come first). The finished result isn't perfect, thanks to my messing around but it was good to try a new technique.

New Look 6018

The waistband and pocket flaps are also piped. This flap looks awfully crooked in the photo. It's straighter in real life. I was tempted to buy some new buttons, ideally with a nautical theme, but went with stash instead.

New Look 6018

Overall, I don't think this is the cutest dress I've ever made. I think the idea of it is good, but the fabrics aren't very high quality and it maybe isn't the best shape for my daughter. However, I do like the fact that it is different - a change from the pink or aqua floral full-skirted dresses that she usually loves to have. And, I'm pleased that she likes it as much as she does.

Now, of course, this post wouldn't be complete without the requisite silly shot...

New Look 6018 
Labels:

Comments

  1. LoriApril 10, 2012 at 8:35 AM

    Absolutely adorable dress, fantastic job.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Elizabeth Made ThisApril 10, 2012 at 9:19 AM

    The piping is so cute! I love the play with the stripes too--it looks very mod and not unlike Milly.

    ReplyDelete
  3. MushyWearApril 10, 2012 at 8:26 PM

    What a fantastic dress. I love the nautical feel of the fabric and style.

    ReplyDelete
  4. RuthApril 15, 2012 at 2:41 AM

    I think the dress is lovely, and yes, cute. It's very classic. Just watch, it will be your daughter's favorite. :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burda Skirt Again

I'm not sure what prompted it, but awhile ago I decided that I needed a green skirt. The last time I was at Fabricland I saw this green wide-wale corduroy. I wasn't really looking for the skirt to be corduroy and the color was a little different than I was hoping for, but since I had my eyes peeled for awhile and hadn't seen anything better, I thought I'd try the corduroy. After looking for a suitable pattern, I settled on the Burda 2/2010 skirt that I've already used three times . Because of the weight and bulk of the corduroy, I didn't want to try to mess with too many details. I'll use another skirt pattern soon. Really, I will. One of the things I really like about this pattern is the pockets. This time I made the pocket facings and part of the pocket bag out of a cotton woven solid to reduce bulk. Since I'll be wearing this skirt with tights I added a lining. Adding the lining was really simple except that I cut the lining exactly the sam
14 comments
Read more

Grocery Bags

More gifts! These are just like the still-all-too-ubiquitous plastic grocery bags, but they're fabric.  I followed this tutorial and you actually use a plastic bag as a pattern.  The instructions are very good and include a pocket so that the bag can be folded up and is easy to keep in a purse or a car's glove box. Mostly for the sake of the gift recipients, here's how to fold up the bag.... 1.  Lay the bag pocket side down and fold it length-wise using the edges of the pocket as a guide. 2.  Fold it in half, aligning the top of the handles with the bottom of the bag. 3.  Fold in half again and then reach into pocket with your hand and turn the whole thing (pocket included) inside out. Happy shopping!
3 comments
Read more

Shopping Bags

Most stores in our town charge you a nickel for a plastic bag when you check out. I love this practice and the way that it encourages people to bring their own cloth bags or reuse their plastic ones. My habit of bringing along bags to the grocery store is well established, but I used to find myself stuck at places like the drug store or farmer's market or other impromptu stops. Then I picked up a bag at an upscale kitchen goods store that rolls up quite compactly. Now I keep that in my purse, so I always have a bag with me. I like my bag so much that I wanted to replicate it for the art sale. The final result is a hybrid of the bag I purchased and these that I made last year. The bag is a little bigger than the average plastic grocery bag. The velcro tab is used to keep the bag rolled up, but also can close the top of the bag when it is full. Most of the bag is a single layer of cotton, but the handles are faced. There is a double row of top-stitching around both edges of
12 comments
Read more