The Sandrine Dress

It’s with this dress that I will end the summery sewings, before we leave on holidays tomorrow. And it’s quite perfect, because it’s probably the work I’m most proud of this year. 😉

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Remember when the Amal dress was published? I told you my last drafting lesson and the moment we had taken with my teacher to trace the sleeveless version. I wanted my armholes to be bigger, probably inspired by a dress I adored a long time ago.

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How I loved wearing this dress. It was with sewing that I began to wear only dresses: before that, I wore everything, but I rarely felt pretty in my outfits. But this one! I felt like Dalida every time I wore it. (Which is a compliment for me eh, I’m a fan!) Today it’s a bit tight to me, I realize that the waist is a little low for me and the tint has discolored in some places but I keep it in memory. My sleeveless version of a shirt dress had to have bigger armholes, at its image.

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At first I thought I would reproduce my skirt with pleats, but probably also inspired by my red dress, I wanted a circle skirt, with some flare. I then draw 2 half circle skirts: one for the front, and one for the back. If the back is a half circle skirt without transformation (with just a middle seam to join the seam of the middle back), I decreased the flare of the skirt, at the side seams, and lengthened its middle to create a buttonplacket.

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Looking at the pictures of the Amal dress, I noticed that I could lower the middle front of my bodice. The 2 centimeters in addition lengthen a little my short bust, and draw a beautiful curve. That’s pretty, right ?

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It was after sewing the bodice and skirt, and as I was about to sew the facing that I realized the armhole yawned in the back. I don’t tell you my rage when I had to undo everything, trace again my armhole back + my facing … but looking at this picture, I think that efforts were worth it.

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Speaking of facing, I had to rethink the Amal dress one, since this version was sleeveless. It was there that I remembered the advice of Lucille, who, following the Katy dress, advised me to create a facing that would include button placket, collar, and armholes. And indeed, it works and gives a great result!

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Only downside : when I trace it, I get stuck on the chest darts of my bodice. I didn’t see how to do it, so I finished it just above. Finally, under the armholes, the facing only measures 3cms. I totally forgot to reason in 3d: indeed, when sewing the facing, the chest darts would be sewn, so I don’t have to worry about when sewing the facing ! For the next one, I will extend it, at least 1cm more. Sewing the facing on the seam allowances of the the sides seams of the bodice gives it a certain stability.

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“Well, how to make him swallow that I intend to put 25 dresses in the suitcases for 14 days of vacation …” 😀 😀 😀

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If this dress is called Sandrine, it’s because it could never have been born without her. 😉 Sandrine is my girlfriend in drafting lesson, and it was she who advised me to visit Wonderland Tissus, during our vacation in Nice. I found between two fabrics this Hawaiian-style poplin, and I immediately saw a shirt dress. I was afraid of the poplin on a circle skirt, but I am really delighted with the result: it is dancing without being leaden, and the icing on the cake : it’s windy-proof !

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Verdict: As I say above, I’m really proud of this dress. In drafting I really lack confidence in me: I always feel like I can do nothing without the endorsement of my teacher. Here I managed to overcome my fears, I listened to my instincts, I tried things … and the result is exactly what I had in mind! At the same time feminine, sexy, comfortable and flowery: all the boxes are ticked, you can go to Italy pretty dress! 😉

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I wish you all a good weekend, and take good care of yourself. ❤

4 comments

  1. Dalia says:

    I did not have time for blogs for a few weeks, and in that time you posted so many pretty dresses! I think you made more dresses this summer than I have sewn in the five years since I started sewing! And you blog them too, while I don’t even get around to taking pictures.
    And I only have one child!

    What is your secret, Emilie?

    (Also, I love that dress, it is so perfect for an Italian holiday. Like in a 50s movie!)

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