Burda 7513 - A Phoenix

Fabric, Keepsake Calico, Contemporary Circles, JoAnn's
Contrast, Pimatex Cotton Dots, Fabric.com
Sandals, Easy Spirit

 

I feel sooo much better now! I fixed my olives dress...no, I did not really burn the pattern on the bonfire. Just thought about it and fussed a little bit.

  

Here are the pattern and my original  olives dress. It really is pretty true to the pattern, except that I lengthened it and left off the pockets:

Actually, the dress has a beautiful bodice. And the skirt is pretty as well, an easy taper:

 

 

 

 

So I did the only logical thing, really. I cut it up redrafted it and kept the best parts! It was pretty easy:

• Based on other dresses, I decided I wanted this one to be 39 1/2" long from center shoulder to hem.
• I allocated 13" in length to the bodice, 2" to a waistband, and 24 1/2" to the skirt.
• And marked/cut my bodice at 13 1/2" down from the shoulder to remove it from the skirt.
• I marked/cut the skirt 25" up from the hem, since the hem was already finished.
• And cut 2 strips of contrasting fabric, 39" x 3", for the waistband and waistband facing.
• All seams were sewn at 1/2" because that's the distance to the edge of my general purpose pressure foot!

Does anyone know where the 5/8" seam originated and why there's not a 5/8" pressure foot :-)

 

You can't really see them, but I did put patch pockets on the front as well.

 

 

This made such a cute dress! It is so comfortable, just slips over my head, no zipper or buttons or snaps. Just right.  I traced a new pattern with my changes and made another one right away!

 

Fabric, Calico, Holly Lobby

 

A few sewing notes:

• The hem is actually an applied band, cut at 4" wide, folded in half, and attached as one would attached a tee shirt band. I like the extra weight this gives to the bottom of a short cotton dress.
• The armhole binding is finished to the outside instead of the inside, and is topstitched. This picks up the topstitching in the bodice neckline.
• I used the front bodice facing from View A and drafted a back neckline facing. I think Burda meant for the front facing to be used, but left out the cutting and sewing directions for it!  Oh well, it is Burda - best to read everything before starting!

 

 

 

Happy I saved my dress... Coco