Tag Archives: dress

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TEAL AND GOLD SUNDRESS

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When I got this moderately-stretchy jersey I was planning on making some baggy pants for Burning Man, but upon arriving back in New Orleans realized that most of my clothes were made for the California summer. I needed something loose and flowing to cope with the heat and humidity, so I whipped up this dress right away.

teal and gold sundress teal and gold sundress teal and gold sundress

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As always, this was my own design without any patterns or assists.

The stripes on the fabric are a light gold. It’s not too flashy but does make the dress a little more ritzy.

There was a bit of a challenge keeping this dress from looking frumpy–in order to keep the dress from sticking to my sweaty body I cut it a little on the large side. It took some critical thinking, but now I feel completely chic in this dress. I can tie the belt tight or leave it loose for air flow, so it’s got a bit of versatility. I can’t help but be impressed at how these thin straps always stay right over my bra straps.

teal and gold sundress teal and gold sundress teal and gold sundress

I love the pockets! This was my first time with full, gathered pockets and I think they turned out very well. I wore this dress to a party last night and was able to fit TWO cans of beer in each pocket (I was also wearing roller skates and had kitty whiskers drawn on my face, just to give you the complete picture).

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sunshine forever dress

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DON’T FORGET TO VISIT MY ETSY SHOP!

The name for this dress comes from the colors and the amount of time it took me to complete! It was completely worth the work, especially when Jason and I went up to the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve. What an amazing place, perfect for an afternoon of flowers, photos, and a cool bottle of rosé.

sunshine forever dress sunshine forever dress monkey antics

sunshine forever dress sunshine forever dress sunshine forever dress back

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This dress has my favorite shades of yellow! It’s so much fun to wear, and of course very comfortable. The skirt is made out of a sheet that has an awesome floral paisley pattern with hidden hearts. I’ve had that fabric for about 3 years, never sure exactly what to make out of it. In February a friend’s tenant gave me the white fabric. It was also a vintage sheet that had been torn in half. It has yellow roses and curls and it couldn’t be softer. It’s an awesome juxtaposition with the first fabric, from the color balance to the formality of the design. I made bias tape in a silky marigold fabric, slightly darker than the yellows in the sheets, which gives the design some structure. It was the only material I bought for this dress, bringing to total cost to about $2.

sunshine forever dress sunshine forever dress sunshine forever dress

I was planning on lining the bodice because I was afraid the white would be too transparent. I spent hours getting the pink cotton to fit just perfectly, only to eventually realize that there was no way I would get the lining and the white fabric to line up perfectly. It turned out that the white fabric was thick enough that you can’t see through it, and I don’t even need the extra support of the lining to wear this dress without a bra. It’s also cooler without the extra layer of fabric, and this way I get to feel the soft white fabric against my skin. I’m sure this would have been easy to do if I’d used a pattern, but damnit, I didn’t want to use a pattern!

sunshine forever dress front detail sunshine forever dress invisible zipper

I’ve got front and back darts that make the bodice fit perfectly but still gives me room to move and wiggle. I put in an invisible zipper at the back (from my mom’s stash), and just about got the print to line up on either side.

sunshine forever dress pocket of wine sunshine forever dress pocket of wine sunshine forever dress at night

The pockets are made out of the same silky polyester as the bias tape. They are set into the side seams of the skirt, which are slightly forward. Like always, I made sure that they are deep enough to carry bottles–this time wine fit! They completely conceal cans, which is important since there are open container laws in California. Although I designed it as a sundress for riding my bicycle, it also works great at night with tights and a cardigan.

Check out this video I made cataloging our day in the flowers!

DON’T FORGET TO VISIT MY ETSY SHOP!

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traveling green

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DON’T FORGET TO VISIT MY ETSY SHOP!

I made this dress back in June, right after I returned from backpacking in Europe for 6 months. I wasn’t sure what my plans were, but I’d just bought a station wagon so I knew there’d be plenty of adventures. This is the first roadtrip dress!

green jersey dress green jersey dress green jersey dress front

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I was able to test out its travelbility on my latest cross country trip, driving from New Orleans to Los Angeles on i40. These photos were taken from our wonderful day in Arizona.

green jersey dress at the AZ sign suggestive signage at meteor crater green dress meteor crater fries and dinos in arizona snow in flagstaff

It’s very comfortable to wear and I felt very chic at all of our stops– Arizona State Welcome Center, a gas station for a much-needed french fry break, wandering around Meteor Crater, playing in snow in Flagstaff, and even in Circus Circus casino in Vegas late that night.

green jersey dress back detail green jersey dress front detail green jersey dress back

It’s made out of fine green jersey I picked up in Ohio–this was months before discovering the LA fashion district. It wasn’t so flattering when I first made it, but I recently re-examined my work. That’s right, sometimes even I need to tailor my clothes! I took in the shoulders and arm seams, as well as added elastic beneath the bust line (I find this is essential in getting a really nice fit from jersey). I was pretty ignorant about sewing stretch fabric on machine, and so to avoid stretching I did the hems and the ties by hand (if you’re confused about this I’ve got some tips on sewing stretch fabric and tubes)

at meteor crater with jason

As you can tell from all our photos, it turned out to be the perfect outfit for an entire day’s worth of adventures!

DON’T FORGET TO VISIT MY ETSY SHOP!

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