Saturday, September 14, 2013

Simplicity 1716 -- Lilac Dress

I liked the shape of the red cowl so much that I immediately decided to make a dress like it.  I used view D from Simplicity 1716.  I made my usual size 14,  adding an inch to the side seams and adding some length to it (these photos are making me think I added a little too much length).
It is hard to tell from the photos, but the fabric is a lovely textured double knit lilac that I purchased from FabricMart for $3/yard during one of their doubleknit sales.

I have to confess that this dress is not as flattering on me as I had envisioned.  (Believe me, I deleted a lot of photos before I decided to keep these).  I don't fault the pattern, I fault my round, cylindrical, rectangle body where there is little differentiation between bust, waist and hip measurements.  I think this pattern would be gorgeous on a more curvaceous body.

Another close-up of that lovely shoulder draping, which is my favorite feature.
I wanted this dress to be my favorite, but it didn't quite make it to that level.  I will still wear it, though;)

I am so slow at blogging my projects that these pictures were taken at the end of July.  My daughter was my photographer, and during our "photo-shoot" these Texas sage were blooming away, almost a perfect match for my dress (despite the above photos, the fabric is more THIS color).
Also blooming was this Mexican Purple Heart Wandering Jew plant.  It gets a single lilac-colored flower on its dark purple leaves.
And a roadrunner ran across the yard during our photo shoot!!  He (or she) took a short break in the shade which allowed us to get a decent photograph. Yes, we have coyotes and roadrunners in our neighborhood:)



15 comments:

  1. This dress looks really nice on you Angela! The colour is so flattering, and thanks for the close-up of the shoulder pleats, I've never noticed them on this pattern.
    I got a kick out of the roadrunner photo, immediately made me think of Bugs Bunny;)

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  2. Love this dress Angela! You look wonderful in it so I think you should up it in the favourite stakes! Gorgeous fabric, gorgeous colour, gorgeous sewing (as usual!) - what more can a girl ask for?! Answer " a road runner" and you have that too!! I've never seen a pic of a real one and he (or she!) is nearly as good as the dress (but not quite!)! And to revert to the dress, that colour suits you beautifully! E x

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  3. That looks more lovely on you than you may imagine. It's my favorite for length, drape, fit, and even color. The length is perfect because it hits right at the most flattering spot on the leg. Longer and it would be in the wider part of the calf; shorter and it would be in the knee. That little roadrunner is quite the photo bomb. Pretty cute, too!

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  4. So pretty! I agree with all the above, it really is nice on you. However - you do have great legs, you could always up it a couple inches if you like! Great roadrunner...

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  5. What a lovely fabric. That's a great dress on you.

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  6. I think that's a pretty dress, and I like the texture of the fabric. That's a fantastic picture of the roadrunner. Beep! Beep!

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  7. Believe your readers...your dress is lovely! (And a bonus that you coordinated so well with your flowers! :D )

    When we visited Oklahoma some years ago, we were thrilled to see a roadrunner in some brush. He was almost hidden, but we were thrilled nonetheless. This one doesn't seem shy at all!

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  8. Nice dress, Love the pleats on the shoulders that make the difference ... The idea of ​​using a belt about the dress maybe can work to emphasize the waist. The bird picture is so funny, no birds like that where I live. A kiss.

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  9. Thanks so much for your nice comment on my Fabric Mart entry! I actually think this dress looks great on you and sound like we have the same figure type. I am going to subscribe to your blog--- Sew on!

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  10. I love this dress and the pleats at the shoulder are fabulous, I agree. Oh, and beep beep roadrunner! What a great shot. Thank you so much for sharing, and I think the dress came out great and looks lovely on you.

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  11. That is TOO funny that you have both roadrunners and coyotes! We love that cartoon in our house. The dress is very nice -- that neckline drape is great on you. I also see dresses/patterns that look SO lovely, but I don't have the right body shape for them. So ... in the end they look lovely on somebody else - haha :) But I think the dress is very nice on you. That fabric is neat! I like the texture. Isn't it odd how colors come out on photographs? I really thought those flowers were azaleas; they look just like them.

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  12. It does look very nice, and I really like the shoulder pleats. Maybe a bit wide belt to cinch it in at the waist would work well? I lurve the roadrunner picture! (beep beep!)

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  13. Yes, it IS a very attractive neckline. I appreciate that you showed us the detail of how the shoulder seams work. And I so admire your sewing diligence and creativity.

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  14. It is great!!!!!!!!!!!! You do such a great job, I love it! And adding the roadrunner at the end is fun. You sew girl...enjoy your talent!

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