70's Style Dress in Adam Ross Fabric

Do you ever just pick a fabric because you think its pretty but not actually have any idea what to do with it?

That's what I did when Adam Ross asked me what my blogger pick fabric would be. I was like "oooooh stars! pretty". It instantly took me back to being younger when star prints were MASSIVELY in fashion and searching through the topshop rails trying to find something that might fit and cover at least three inches of my bum. [FYI I never found anything in top shop as a teenager ever! It was always too small! Do they even stock clothes over a size ten?]

Anyway naturally because I had no idea what I wanted to do with the fabric I left it to the kind people of instagram to decide. The first two patterns are vintage and the last one is a Gertie pattern that came free with an issue of love sewing. 

And instagram chose..........

Pattern number two! Which apart from being a "style" pattern I have no other information about because LOL that's literally the only part of the pattern envelop that's fallen off! [BTW I would highly recommend using Instagram as a way of deciding what patterns etc to use.]

I think the dress turned out super cute [Ignore my miserable face on the pictures I'm having trouble with the shutter remote on my digital camera]

The fabric is very floaty and frays a little bit so I decided to over lock all of my seams before I started to sew. Its a complete faff but its worth it to make sure that your dress lasts and it makes the insides look really neat. 

The actual construction was done on my regular machine though. Sadly you can't see a lot of the details because of how busy the print is. For example you can't see the pin tucks on the front bodice and you can't really see the collar! I do recommend using sharp pins on a fabric like this though because you don't want it to pull. 

What you can see however is those FABULOUS sleeves!!!! I had forgotten how much I love a 70's style sleeve! I have no idea what kind of sleeve it is? Bishop maybe? But I like it and I even manged to get just the right amount of tightness on the elastic in the cuffs. Normally If I have to add elastic to anything I make it so tight that my blood circulation gets cut off and my hand turns blue............

I'm not keen on the back seam so I might later the pattern to take that out. I just can't really work out why its there. It also needs another good press, I had to be really careful pressing the fabric because I was terrified of burning a hole right in the middle of the fabric. As it goes I managed to avoid all ironing related disasters but I was being really really careful! I used a pressing cloth and kept my iron on a really low setting.  

The collar is the only thing on the dress that's interfaced so the whole dress swishes really nicely. Its one of those dress that when you wear it you just parade yourself around the house swishing and swirling and just generally making a bit of a muppet of yourself, whilst feeling very proud. 

I'm wearing a slip underneath but I think if this was just a top I wouldn't need it. Really the only reason I have a slip on is just in case but really the fabric is quite opaque for such a delicate fabric. 

I didn't make any major changes to the pattern apart from taking quite a lot of the length and lowering the neckline slightly. Because I'm a bit more saucy than those 70's women [although if history teaches us anything its that the 70's were a pretty free and easy time!] 

As you can see from the picture above I do have to belt the dress because its a bit of a tent but I like the loose fit and I think it might be good for wearing as a cover up on the beach. 

I'm actually hoping that the weather might cool a bit soon just so I can get chance to wear it! I can't be doing with long sleeves in hot weather. 

Or is that a bit selfish of me?

Much Love

Frankie 

xxx

discalimer - whilst Adam Ross sent me this fabric all thought and views are my own.