I had to – er, I mean, got to – give this beauty away today.  The hem needed to be shortened just a bit, but otherwise, it looked like a perfect fit.

There is not much left to say about this dress – I mean, it is the *sixth* one I’ve made. Here are the first, second, third and fifth (the fourth, done in a deep navy cotton/linen blend, was a gift and un-blogged).

If I did not love the recipient of this dress as much as I do, I would have considered shortening the hem and moving it into my closet. The colors are even perfect as we move closer to autumn.

Unfortunately, I did not have enough fabric to match the pattern down the back center seam, but I was able to make sure the edges of the medallion lined up in the back.

All I have left are the tiniest of scraps – just maybe enough to make pockets for my next pair of Ginger jeans…

Pattern: Named Kielo Wrap Dress, size 4
Modifications: Facing for the neckline only, rather than the combination facing I had drafted for earlier versions, and shortened the hem to knee length
Fabric: 100% Indian cotton tapestry in navy with orange, turquoise, green and red

This beauty isn’t for me; it’s for a friend – my very first friend who I met when I was about 4 years old – who kindly asked me to make it for her.

Sewing for others is incredibly stressful for me.  When sewing for myself, I know what sort of “imperfections”, i.e., visible hand stitches, under stitching that is not perfectly straight, etc…, can be expected and can decide if I am okay with how something turned out or go back and try to fix it.  When sewing for others, I do not allow myself any wiggle room,  and often find myself dreading that I agreed to make something for somebody else.  That said, I know very well, that when somebody makes something for me, I never think it is anything but a generous gift made with kindness.  I suppose the best thing I can do is to keep sewing for others and hope I get over it, eventually.

Pattern: Named Kielo wrap dress, size 10
Modifications: Self-drafted combination facing, shortened length, narrowed “wings” for better fit at the waist, lengthened ties for wrapping
Fabric: Nicole Miller “In the sun – multi” twill, 97% poly 3% spandex

 

 

… is admitting you have a problem, right? Well, that’s done. Whether I’m willing to stop making these dresses is another matter. I’ve been tinkering with the pattern and this variation is pretty close to perfect for me. It is made from purple linen that I picked up at Mood almost three years ago.

If you are interested in having a custom version of one of these dresses, please send me a private message. Sewing for others is stressful for me, but I appreciate people’s interest and am willing to give it a try. Turnaround time depends on how many dozens of you want one 🙂