cowgirlcreates
Intermediate MB CANADA Member since 6/30/12 Posts: 16 |
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Date: 1/7/13 11:53 PM A couple years ago I found a gorgeous cotton/linen fabric on the discount rack at a local fabric store and bought 4m of it hoping to make ME a dress...well...yeah...it hasn't happened yet, but I'm done nursing my second baby now(nursing in a dress is somewhat hard...unless modified for the purpose!) so I really want to make it for this summer! Because of the print, I'm trying to be careful about what type of pattern I choose. I have had two thoughts - retro-ish full skirt along the lines of thisDress Idea or this Dress idea 2 or on a totally different thought trend - a simple maxi type dress of some sort.
Here is the fabric - if you look at the surrounding pics in the photostream you'll see a VERY unflattering picture of it draped on me - just for an idea of the scale of the pattern to my height. I'm not sure which way to proceed yet and opinions from people with more dress experience than I would be wonderful (I've never done an adult dress- only kids/babies).
Edited to add a couple details - I'm somewhere around a 11-14 in RTW - I always have to buy to fit my bust as it is rather larger than average - I know this will affect pattern choices too! -- Edited on 1/7/13 11:56 PM -- |
tigergirl
 Advanced Beginner AUSTRALIA Member since 11/30/09 Posts: 176 |
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Date: 1/8/13 2:08 AM I've also got quite a few border prints because I love them but am a bit stuck on what to make with them - I'm a big fan of a-line skirts and I don't think they're ideal for border prints. ------ Brother BM-2600
Janome 693
Lumina Overlocker (Serger)
http://tigergirladventures.blogspot.com/ |
PatW
 Intermediate TN USA Member since 4/13/09 Posts: 89 |
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 1 member likes this. Date: 1/8/13 6:47 AM I had a skirt/blouse set many years ago that was made using a border print. However, the border was placed at the top instead of the bottom, so the eye was drawn up instead of down. I've looked for a print that would work to make something like it. You might want to turn yours around and see if it would work with the border at the top. |
Kayabunga
 Advanced IL USA Member since 1/21/10 Posts: 120 |
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Date: 1/8/13 10:04 AM Your fabric is GORGEOUS! Instead of a dress what about making separates that when worn together make a dress ... it would give you lots fashion options not to mention make fitting easier. I have a few border prints too and have been contemplating using a Silhouette wrap skirt pattern that would be perfect (I like a smoother fit to TRY to make my hips looks smaller) anyway it's Silhouette pattern #2050. You could easily add more fullness to the pattern for the look you're after and still keep the darts intact to control some of that fullness around the waist. Depending on how much fabric you use for the bottom and/or how easy it would be to match another fabric to the black, you could even make several tops for your 2 piece dress. That's my plan, anyway. |
Pamela R
 Expert/Couture ON CANADA Member since 6/22/07 Posts: 238 |
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Date: 1/8/13 11:47 AM When I was in Malaysia this past year I picked up several boarder prints, and I am looking for ideas to enjoy them. The women here wear the prints so that the wrap if their skirt is the boarder..ie it runs up and down, but I do not know what to do about a top to go with them. |
stirwatersblue
Intermediate KS USA Member since 12/13/08 Posts: 2471 |
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Date: 1/9/13 4:32 PM I was thinking, what about a dress with a box-pleated skirt and a simple bodice... and then I clicked on your second link (the red dress on Pinterest), which led me to this dress that was also pinned on that page.

It's hard to tell what you look like with all that fabric draped on you , but this sort of style is very flattering on curvy figures, without the EXTREME fullness of the retro dresses (probably easier to wear, too!). (I wore a similar dress to my brother's wedding a couple of years ago.)
Ok, neither of these has a box-pleated skirt, but maybe something like B5748 or B4443? ------ ~Gem in the prairie |
stirwatersblue
Intermediate KS USA Member since 12/13/08 Posts: 2471 |
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Date: 1/9/13 4:58 PM How funny--after I posted my reply, the pattern in the sidebar was this Vogue skirt designed for border prints:
http://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/patterns/sewingpatterns.pl?patternid=15767#.UO3nr3eHwZk
(I think your fabric is prettier than the ones shown on the pattern.) ------ ~Gem in the prairie |
NhiHuynh

 Advanced CA USA Member since 1/4/11 Posts: 593 |
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Date: 1/10/13 1:52 AM Not sure if this is an option for your particular border print but I've used it vertically on a top. Border print going up and down. A sleeveless maxi dress with the border at the bottom would be a nice look also. |