The Tessuti Gabby Dress and rose petals

My final version of the Tessuti Gabby dress, which I used in my pursuit of a 60's-style tent dress.

Source: fashion.ekstraks.com

Sewing notes - I drafted size Medium (I'm 5'7", 37" bust, 42" hip), and altered the pattern to be sleeveless:

• Added 3" to the length, and marked a 1 1/8" hem allowance. 
• Trimmed 5/8" from the side seams, beginning at the top edge and curing quickly into the existing seamline about 9" below the start point. It's important to keep the fast flare of the dress.
• Trimmed the seam allowance from the front neckline to make it a little deeper and more narrow at the shoulder.  

• Lowered the back neckline 3/4" at center back. Redrew the back neckline with a curve from shoulder to CB (it was almost straight across, shoulder to shoulder).
• Made 2 shallow chest adjustments:

          - Moved the center front, which is cut on the fold,  1/4" past the fold at the top edge and cured the center line.

          - Marked and flattened a 3/8" dart in lower side of the neckline on both sides.

• Changes for the sleeveless styling:

          - Shortened the shoulder seams at the armhole edge by 1". 

          - Cured down the front and back armhole edge to within about 1 1/2" of the bottom edge.

          - Scooped more curve into the armhole edge on both sides.

Fabric: Red Packed Roses cotton calico, JoAnns

Due to it's volume, a tent dress can look like a sea of fabric. To counter, I used contrast fabric for the armhole and neckline bindings, and added 1-piece, topstitched pockets ( love pockets).

These pocket are really easy to do and are great for full dresses and skirts. I looked everywhere for a tutorial to share, but no luck. So at the end of this post I've put a jump to a little more on this pocket.

Here's the muslin that tried my patience ( Fussy Post) It's complete, very wearable, and  modeled here by Emile. I'll admit that I'm not fond of it, and it will go with donations at year-end.

Cream Song Birds from Timeless Treasures, from Hancocks of Paducah

                 

Since Emile is with us, here's a view of the neckline binding. I start by attaching the binding on the inside. Then I turn it over the neckline edge and finish it on the outside. I do the same thing with armhole bindings. This technique doesn't leave any little threads or stitched folds that can irritate my skin. 

In the end, I'm glad I stayed with the project, it leaves me with a good sloper for this dress style.

Ciao! Coco

The pocket I used,

The pockets I drew for this dress are a little 'fatter' than my usual in-seam pockets, because I think the topstitching looks nicer with a fat pocket. I started with a 'normal' in-seam pocket to get the right proportions and so on:

• Cut 2 pocket pieces from your fabric. If you're using scraps, be sure to cut a left and a right pocket! And cut 2 topstitching templates from tracing paper. 
• Decide where you will place the pockets. I used a scientific sewist method: I put on my muslin, which has no pockets, and played with the pattern tissue on the outside until it felt and looked right :-) Mine open 10" below the armhole edge of the dress. 
• Mark the pocket opening on the seam allowance of the dress front and back.
• On the dress front, finish the edge of the pocket opening area. I used a Hong Kong finish that matches the neck and armhole binding. I lightly hand-stitched the edge in place.

The front edge of the pocket with the Hong Kong finish.

• Place the pockets on the dress back, right sides together. Stitch together along the seam line. Turn the pockets outward.
• Pin the dress front and back right sides together. Stitch the seams above and below the pocket opening. 
• On the inside, press the pocket over the front of the dress.

This is post-topstitching. But you can see how the pocket turns away from the seamline and over the front.

• On the outside front, topstitch the pocket in place, using the tracing paper template as a guideline. And tear away the paper. For some reason, this is really satisfying. Kind of like popping bubble wrap.

Please press and set your stitches all the way through this...

Happy to help with any questions! cocos.loft@gmail.com