Tag Archives: jersey

2

STRIPE SACK DRESS

by

This dress actually started off as a shirt that was cut a little long, and then I decided to add the horizontal band to the bottom. I’d never worn (or was interested in) a sack dress before, but I feel pretty chic and easy when I wear it. Although I feel it works best with these wedge heels, and I very rarely wear anything but flats. So it’s a date-night dress, and I kinda like having something a little special for special times.

stripe sack dress

This dress pattern is designed for striped jersey, and except for the contrast bands, the dress is all one piece. The back, sleeves, and front piece is shaped sort of like a Y, and the only seams are at the center front and at the sides. It’s extremely comfortable to wear, and I always feel elegant with all those stripes running across my body and meeting in a perfect V at the front. Needless to say, this pattern took a few tries to develop and I’m pretty proud of it.

stripe sack dress stripe sack dress

stripe sack dress stripe sack dress

Jason took these pictures at Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica. We went to see Smoke and Mirrors, which I designed costumes for. The magic show will be running in SM for a few more weeks, and then will move to the Road Theater in January, so check it out!

stripe sack dressWhen I submitted my bio for the playbill I used Dodds as my last name, but my ad is for Julianne Siadek since that was after the wedding. Nice that they were on the same page!

2

GENIE PANTS

by

I didn’t give a damn when these were trendy, but I really like genie pants for Burning Man. They’re comfortable for lounging and look great while dancing. I can also layer leggings underneath for chilly nights, and you can’t beat that!

silver genie pants striped genie pants

I made the pattern myself. Each leg is a single piece, and the un-gathered waist is about 8 feet wide. I prefer the more gathered look of the silver pants, which were my second pair. It’s a very easy design to make!

The silver is a very slinky lycra that I’ve used for lots of projects and costumes this summer. The aqua and green stripe is a cottom jersey. Both fabrics were picked up months ago at Fabric Planet.

silver genie pants striped genie pants

The waistband can be pulled up high, or slouched down around the hips. The leg bands can also be pulled up to my calves, making the leg pouf out more. Pouffy legs!

silver genie pants striped genie pants

Jason also has a pair of the striped pants, as seen on the playa (with the Sensatron in the background!). He took this picture in a curved mirror.

genie pants at Burning Man

It was a great outfit for dancing at sunrise. Now to make that gray sweatshirt more fabulous!

genie pants at Burning Man

I will definitely be making more of these for next year on the playa–this might replace leggings as my wardrobe staple for Burning Man. In fact, I’ve already picked up some pink and gray striped jersey for the next pair.

stripe fabric

I’ve created a tutorial if you’d like to make your own.

1

MUSE DRESS

by

I’ve found myself reconsidering commercial patterns over the past few weeks. There are so many nice Muse Dresses, although it was Kristin from Very Prairie who finally inspired me to reintroduce that pink tissue paper into my life. Despite (or because of) its popularity Butterick 5130 is no longer in print, but I was able to find a copy on Etsy.

muse dress

As lovely as this dress truly is, it’s a little more romantic than my style. Although all the reviews mention how clever the pattern is for using the seam allowances as casing for the elastic, I threw that whole concept out the window and opted for highly visible exterior casings.

muse dress

I decided to use a bright color, and this red cotton jersey from Fabric Planet is perfect. Not too orange, not too pink. At first I was hesitant, because a red dress is very A Red Dress. Like, “I’m a fabulous WOman and I wear red dresses out for brunch with my gal pals!” I do not need to get my groove back, but apparently I have room for a singular red dress in my wardrobe anyway.

muse dress muse dress

I wanted the two colors to coordinate without matching. I was aiming for a slight clash of colors, and I think the purple/red combo is a perfect juxtaposition, rather than head-on collision. Obviously, aqua stitching was a must.

Like nearly everyone else, I added a waistband to make the dress less like a nightgown.

The pattern calls for a moderate-stretch knit fabric, but since the dress is made to be about three times the size of the wearer, I don’t really think the stretch is so necessary. I bet the dress would look nice in a woven silk/cotton blend, and I think it would totally work. I’m also considering a maxi length. Although I normally consider that style to be too much dress, I have an intriguing image in my mind. Maybe with shorter sleeves? And a printed skirt?

muse dressThe dress was very comfortable for a long day at work, although the lack of pockets was a problem. Of course I’m smart enough to add pockets, but the weight of my phone would make the dress pull and sag in a very strange way. This probably wouldn’t be a problem for a less-stretchy jersey. The pattern instructions were very easy to follow, although I didn’t really follow them. To allow for the gathering, the pieces are all insanely wide, so you can’t really skimp on the fabric requirement.

If I hadn’t done all those fancy casing and top stitching, the dress would probably take 3-4 hours to make. I can think of worse ways to spend an afternoon.

Honestly, I’m not sure if I would make this pattern again. Husband-in-training Jason likes the dress, but I don’t think I need more than one of this very distinctive design. And looking at these pictures, cute as they are, I’m not in love with the dress. I felt very aware of the dress all day, and I didn’t know how to accessorize it (if you consider shoes to be accessories). If I were to repeat the pattern, I think I’d feel compelled to give away this first dress. Doesn’t that sound promising to all you bloggerellas?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8