Made By A Fabricista: My Summer Dresses

Hello everyone! I am so happy it’s summer; it gives me energy. I love the sunshine, the warm air, and the flowers that bloom this time of year. This summer I want new dresses. They need to be comfortable during the summer heat. They need to easily transition from casual day wear to an elevated evening outfit and look chic whether I am in sneakers, flats, or platform shoes. I also want one of them will be white because I don’t own a white dress!

I saw Vogue V1653 and was immediately taken by its comfortable style and the simplicity of the lapel collar. I chose View D for its midi length and almost straight skirt. The side seam pockets was a bonus. I would wear this dress with a sneaker around town or with platform shoes and a belt I already own for dinner with friends. I selected Fabric Mart’s medium Persian blue 100% linen (SKU# UAA7473r) to sew this loose-fitting dress.

I favored McCall’s M7805 for its close-fitting lined bodice and midi length flared skirt. The button-down front reminded me of timeless shirtdresses. The off-the-shoulder neckline and the straps screamed summer. I would wear this with my flats for lunch with friends or with platforms to go out for the evening with my husband. I picked FM’s eggshell white cotton/polyester poplin (SKU# CQA3063) for the midi length View D.

Starting with the V1653 dress, I prewashed the linen in hot water and dried it in the dryer. I made a muslin first, cutting a size 14 for the bodice and skirt. The neck opening was very low for my comfort, only 2 inches above my belly button! So, I raised it by 4 inches. The rest of the dress was constructed according to the pattern instructions. Pellon sheer weight interfacing made the lapel look crisp. I serged the seams and finished the lower skirt edge with a 5/8 inch narrow hem. The slit in the lower center back of the skirt was a nice touch.

For the M7805 dress, I prewashed the poplin in warm water and dried it in the dryer. Based on my muslin, I cut a size 14, C cup, and expanded the waist to size 16. Pellon sheer weight interfacing was used for the collar, bodice front, and skirt front. Attaching the collar and straps took a long time since I wanted them to cover my bra straps and drape nicely. Modifications: I made the buttonholes vertical instead of the suggested horizontal. Also, I made 12 buttonholes instead of 11. The buttons were spaced 3 inches apart, instead of 4, to avoid the gaping in the bust area. I serged all the seams and finished the skirt with a narrow hem.

My dresses turned out as I imagined. The weight of the linen allowed the V1653 dress to drape nicely; I love its blue color. The crispness of the poplin gave the M7805 dress a vintage feel; its color was bright and popped against the black buttons. I am very happy with my new summer dresses!

Til next time,