Hot Patterns Cha Cha Cha Dress

You didn’t think I’d really leave you without posting a photo of my new dress, did you? This dress is just too adorable! Leave it to Trudy to give us something that’s not only different and fashionable but a snap to sew as well. The back skirt is a full wrap (two full skirt back pieces) that will not leave you feeling as if you are about to expose yourself – you know what I’m talking about. It will also eliminate the need for a slip in many fabrics. I know I don’t want to wear one when the temps and the humidity percentages are in the 90s!

I’ll share more of the construction with you when I return. One important thing to note is that the ties are quite long. I only wrapped them around the front and then to the back once – they are intended to come back around the front and tie at the side but that was too bulky for this fabric. I lengthened my dress 4″ (3″ would have sufficed) and the ties are still a little longer than the hemline. When I return I am going to shorten them about 4″. For now, they are a “design feature”. 🙂

Here’s a lousy mirror picture of the bodice- I figured you’d rather see it than not. Adding the cups as described in my mini-tutorial at TheSewingDivas worked out great and gives me a nice shape.

The beautiful rayon/lycra fabric is from Fabric Mart. I really wish I’d bought more!

Hot Patterns Cha Cha Cha Dress

Yay! I managed to sneak away long enough today to trace off the Cha Cha Cha halter dress! I am going to use a rayon knit so I traced one size smaller than I would normally take. I also added four inches to the length. I am forty-*cough* and thought a short hemline would be a bit much considering how much skin I’ll be showing up top.

I would love to whip this up tomorrow but darnit! I still haven’t finished my taxes so I will have to be chained to my desk until I do. 😦

Simplicity 4020

I’ve liked this knit kimono top ever since the pattern first came out. I received this rayon/lycra from Sawyer Brook last week and immediately thought of this pattern! As a bonus, I won’t have to add it to the stash. 😉 I made a straight 8 and it fits well but I think next time I’d add a tiny bit of width at the underbust seam to better fit my large rib cage. Sorry about the photo, I could not get this on my dressform to save my soul!

This is View D with the shorter kimono sleeve. I thought the longer one would be a little overwhelming on someone of my height. The pattern allows for a 1.25″ sleeve hem, I wanted a 1″ wide band (I see now that I should have made it the same width as the neckband – next time) so I cut 1″ off of the sleeves and cut a band the needed length (20.5″ in my case) by 2.5″ wide. I used a 1/4″ seam allowance to attach the band. I only wish I’d had more fabric so that I could have cut the band for the left sleeve from a pinker part of the fabric for more contrast.

This was just the quick and easy project I was looking for this morning. Since I’m still in dire need of more casual tops I think I’ll make it one more time before putting the pattern away and getting back to my other projects.

I’m on a roll!

Well, I retraced Neue Mode 23258 in a 34 but decided to keep the upper front at a 36 because I felt that I needed the extra half inch of bust room. It worked out perfectly! I used this beautiful “Monet” knit that I bought from Ann at Gorgeous Things

This was a perfect print for the style because the seaming and details don’t get lost in it. Now that I have the fit just the way I like it I will make one more in a solid – probably with short sleeves – and then move on to The Next Big Thing.