Let’s go straight to the point today : FEEL GOOD DRESS ! ❤

When I started drafting lessons, I had a dream: the little summer dress with straps. A beautiful fitted bodice, open shoulders, a flared skirt … the ultimate pattern when living in the South. There was Centaurée, but I always had a concern with the geometric paneled bodice. Finalizing the Whitney dress  last summer was a real happiness: I finally realized one of my dreams …. woven version at least. Because yes … my passion for knit fabrics is legendary !

To be done I didn’t look far: Deer and Doe Zephyr fitting me well, I took the pieces of the bodice. I didn’t touch the pieces on the front and back sides, and only modified the middle pieces front and back. I made a comparative picture of the pieces.

For the middle front, you can see that I slightly raised the neckline. I first sewn the middle front with the front sides, then measure the length of the neckline, and cut a strip of 90% of the given length (and 4cm wide). It was then enough to sew the band and to topstitch it. And do the same for the back.

Then the skirts are sewn together, the sides are sewn too, and then the straps: I have cut long strips 3.5cm wide (and 1m long), which I have Folded and sewn such as bias. A quarter of the width of the strap is sewn on the armhole, the whole is folded up, and the entire band is topstitched. Here it is topstitched with double needle.

And hop, a hem later, we get a Zephyr with straps!

Only small concern that you see on this picture of the back: the back straps are not centered on my bra straps. This is not very aesthetic: for the next one, I will further dig the armhole at the level of the piece on the back side.

The dress is made in a beautiful cotton knit, found at the Plaine market last summer. I was very happy cutting it, I saw myself already cut a great tank top for Tom in the scraps when I realized … that I was going to face pattern matching.

And as much to say that it was quite hard with this psychedelic fabric … in the end, if the pattern matchings are good on the bodice, they are less successful on the sides of the skirt.

But to be totally honest with you … I don’t care at all. 😀

As usual with Zéphyr, I cut a 38, sewn with seam allowances of 6mm (instead of 1cm, included in the pattern), hemmed my skirts on 1,5cm (instead of the 2cms recommended in the booklet) , And the fit is good!

When I received Heidi, my new machine, it was delivered with bobbins of Mettler thread, specially this one. I have long wondered what I was going to be able to do with it … until this project. This bobbin and this fabric were made for each other : for my topstitching it was perfect!

Verdict: at the beginning of this post I told you about “feel good dress”, and that’s exactly what I feel when I wear it: happiness ! In addition to being very comfortable (thank you knit fabric !), It is perfect for the heatwave. If you add the flattering princess cut on the chest, the dancing side of the skirt, and the small straps tied on the shoulders … I want to tell you that I hold my summer pattern for knit fabric ! For the next one I want to try a version with normal shoulder straps, closed in circles. Will have to make some expedition in the stash ! 😉

I wish you all a good weekend, happy holidays to our schoolchildren, and take care of you! ❤