Colette Rue

One of the benefits of working for a fabric store, is that I've known about Rue for WEEKS. I kept a secret, that never happens! A super cute secret too! We ordered copies of the pattern right away, but I printed out a pdf so I could get started on the store sample. 

I know some people love pdfs but I am not one of them. I taped together 70 pages. It took all morning. And then there is no good way to fold and store them! So when the real copies came I made used one of them, so much better!

This is version 1, the short sleeve with the pleated skirt. The other version has long sleeves with a more fitted skirt. The dress comes fully lined, with separate pattern pieces for the lining! Love that. 

The fabric I used is a Cotton and Steel halloween-ish print which I think is cute all year long. If you look closely the bottles say things like eye-of-newt, but if you are not looking closely they look like perfume bottles and flowers. I also used piping on the neckline instead of the bust piece, it would  have been weird for me with a fuller bust. 

I had a couple issues with the pattern, but nothing too major. The bodice meeting at a "V" was a problem. If you just pin the pieces together and sew the "V" ends up below the seam line. I had to fudge it so it would land on the 5/8"s. 

I made a size 14, and a bodice muslin, so when I attached the skirt and the bodice and the waist was too big, I was not so happy. I had to take it in an inch on each side to fit. I also took off quite a few inches off the skirt before I cut it out, which I rarely do. I think it might have been 3"! So beware of that.

I also need to tinker with the bodice fit a little more. I think if  I lengthen the "v" shaped bodice so the tucks sit a little lower it would be better. I had to get this project done in time for the release and I was too excited to spend the time to tinker!

I also chose to only line the bodice. Way less fabric, and easier to iron, when it's a finished product. I used a green cotton, that is so fine it's almost like a cotton-silk blend. It's so divine, I want to line everything in this.

All the supplies for the dress are from Fabricland, (the NJ one, Canada). My dress will be on display there untill November, when we are having a class for Rue! I am teaching it, so it will be super fun!

Gertie's Butterick 6322

I've made a lot of dresses this summer and blogged only a few. Mostly because I've been taking pictures and then they don't look as good as I thought they should. So I'm just gonna show this dress even though the pictures aren't top notch. 

This dress is Butterick 6322, another dress from Gertie's pattern line. I really like the corset detail and the waist and the peasant style bust. 

I spent most of the time on this dress plaid matching. The fabric is a very light-weight almost seersucker cotton. It matches up on all the sideseams, the entire center back and the corset part is cut on the bias, and the plaids match there too.

I added 2.5" to raise the bust, otherwise it would have been quite indecent. It does fall off my shoulders a little bit so I would gather the neck a little more and make the bias tape a little shorter to compensate. I also had to hem it twice, the first time it was way too long and unflattering. 

Adding the grommets to the corset was easy, except that I felt they were a little loose and went back and hammered them on a hard surface and half the paint fell off. Then it was hard to get the ribbon I originally picked out to fit. I used an 1/8th inch ribbon in hot pink. 

I sewed this dress in under 24 hours in the beginning of the summer so I guess it was quite easy.  I've been wearing it once a week all summer, so its been a successful make.