THE 2011I IDEAL SUMMER DRESS CHALLENGE...it's been a great run!

Tomorrow, Sunday  June 19th brings an end to the 2011 Ideal Dress Challenge.  However; you are still welcomed to post your dresses even if it's past Sunday when you finish.

I'm working on a slide presentation to show case all the beautiful dresses.  Hopefully I'll have it posted on the dress blog by Monday evening - SO PLEASE CHECK BACK THEN. 

Again, a great bit THANK YOU to all who participated, followed or just looked in at the challenge.

DRESS #1

I got to take my dress on a test run at last night's graduation ceremony, but not before going out in a monsoon-like rain storm to get there.  Thank God for the rain, we hadn't had any since April.  I managed to snap this picture in the dress after arriving back home -  me and the dress were not in the best of conditions at this point.

The red belt did make the dress pop, but the dress with the belt on me was a disaster so it was a no go.  The dress is a good fit, but didn't end up looking as I had envisioned, but it is wearable.

 

I've started my second dress and will be working hard at getting it finished today - hopefully.   Here's pictures of my muslin for that dress.

I'll post my progress tomorrow...

DRESS CHALLENGE PLANS SOMETIMES GO AWRY...

UPDATE: The 2011 Ideal Summer Dress Challenge has been extended until Sunday, June 19th.


also...
freckle10 said...Great,I would like to participate.  Freckle10 in order to participate, you will need to leave your email address, then respond to an email invitation that will be sent out to you.

...I stand corrected.  But, plans do sometimes go astray - especially sewing plans.   That being said, although the IDEAL SUMMER DRESS CHALLENGE was scheduled to end Wednesday, June 15th, lets extend it through next weekend - say SUNDAY, JUNE 19TH. 

This way life, and work, and other disruptions can come what may...and we'll still have time to finish our projects.

ALL IN FAVOR say yeah....

WHERE AM I TODAY???

 ...under deep cover (remember that Lawrence Fishburne movie?) in the sewing cave.

I got up kinda early to finish sewing the buttons on my Dress Challenge project.

So my first dress is now 100% finished.  Thought I'd go out shoe shopping today, but decided that will have to wait until after Church tomorrow.  (Putting shoe shopping off as long as possible. Love shoes, hate to shop for them.)  Pictures of me wearing the dress - forth coming.

I had to do some backing tracking on my last completed project - my TNT jacket.

What does the jacket have to do with the dress?  Nothing at all, just needed some place to put it.

After it was finished, I kept looking at it and something was off.  One sleeve was almost an inch longer than the other.   Now how in the world did that happen???  Removed the cuff, cut 1 inch from the sleeve - now I'm comfortable with it even though the matching pants have become a momentary UFO.
 
With 5 more days left in the Dress Challenge of course I figure I can complete ONE MORE DRESS.  I've loved this dress since first laying eyes on it, so I borrowed Trinilove's pictures to show here.  Besides the dress I just finished, this is my second choice of the IDEAL SUMMER DRESS.

Here is the pattern...

BUTTERICK 5486

 
And here is my fabric.

It's a colorful peachskin from Joann's 1/2 price clearance table that I'm really in love with.  I'm off to cut out a muslin y'all because you know how I am when there's fabric love involved...

FINISHED JACKET & DRESS MUSLIN

I've been so focused on the dress challenge that I neglected to post my finished Butterick 5333 jacket.  It took me a while because of course I added features that were not included in the pattern.  There is still a matching pair of pants yet to be finished; however, bear in mind there is still that little matter of my sewing rule to contend with - that being - finish all projects started.  So the pants will get finished, but for now I have to move on with my dress.

On with the dress.  After two evenings of working on my muslin, I must say that although not perfect, it is a pretty good fit.  If you'll remember I added one inch down the center front to ensure I'd have plenty of room for buttoning up without gaping - this means I added a total of two inches to the center front of the dress.  It worked, but I think I'd be more comfortable adding another 1/4" totaling a 1/2" increase.  

 It's just a wee bit large at the underarm seam, which will not be hard to alter at all.

I'll make these two small alterations to the pattern tonight and go ahead and cut my fashion fabric.  I'm not sure, but I think I can see myself finishing this dress before the weekend is over...

ON YOUR MARK, GET READY, SET, GO...

I am one happy blogger!  45 participants are accepted the invitation to "Stay Cool by Stitching Up an Ideal Summer Dress". There are still 6 other people who have not yet responded, BUT there is still time for them to jump on board.  This is the largest sew-a-long/challenge that I've hosted so far.  The fact that so many of you wanted to join in is quite encouraging - so I want to send out a big THANK YOU for participating.

Lots of inspiring patterns and fabrics have been showcased already.  It's going to be a FUN 15 days!  When you finish your "Ideal Summer Dress" please remember to share a picture of you wearing it!  I'm in the process of learning how to create a composite frame for all the finished project pictures.  If anyone knows how to do that, please let me know.


That's it for this post, I have yet to cut out my dress muslin.  Got to get to work!!!

TOMORROW'S THE BIG DAY - 2011 IDEAL SUMMER DRESS CHALLENGE

Tomorrow is our big day - the first day of the 2011 Ideal Summer Dress Challenge 43 participants have responded (This is the largest number of any challenge I've hosted - so exciting!) 5 participants have not responded*

*Since email addresses don't always line up with our names or blog names I'll just note the first part of the email addresses of those who not responded.  Again, if you did not get an invitation yet, please let me know.  I don't want to omit any one who is interested :

Cindy - Color by Number
asewfit

kjej
csmith
minniemoocher

Some people responded with different email address (which is quite alright).  If that is the case with the 5 people listed above, please let me know - so I will know that you are in.

On your marks, get set...

LET'S GET IT STARTED (hummed to the tune by the Blackeyed Peas)...

Don't you think it's time to start prepping for our "Summer Dress Challenge".  On Sunday afternoon I pre-treated my fabric and altered my pattern according to Threads Fitting DVD on Torsos.   I performed a full tummy surgery adjustment down the center front pattern piece.  Since the dress buttons completely down the front I want to make sure I don't have to deal with any gaposis problems in that area.

Threads suggests a cut and spread method to deal with this adjustment.  So I cut the pattern and spread it 1 inch.  This adjustment worked beautifully on a previous jacket pattern so I trust it, and besides I'll be making up a muslin - so if the adjustment is too much I'll have time to make it a smaller spread on the actual dress.

 The only other adjustment was on the collar pattern piece.  I'm not sure if it was necessary for a dress, but to assure that the collar will lay correctly and to allow for proper turn of cloth, I traced a separate under collar pattern piece to be cut on the bias rather than on the fold like the upper collar piece.  I also cut the under collar pattern 1/8" smaller than the upper collar and also added a 5/8" seam allowance.

1/8" was removed from the edges where the pattern weights sit, and 5/8" seam allowance added to the edge where the pencils sit.

 

 

 

 

 

 Now I'm ready to cut out the muslin.

DID I MISS ANYBODY???

TO:  ALL "STAY COOL...STITCH UP A DRESS" CHALLENGERS;
This is just a quick check to make sure that I have not left anyone out.  If you have made a request to join the dress challenge and have not received an email invitation, please do not hesitate letting me know.  I am trying hard to catch every request, so if you haven't been added yet it is surly an oversight on my part.

Dress challenge update:

• 29 challengers (including myself) are in and ready to post
• 15 challengers still need to complete the signup process by responding to the email invitation that has been sent out.
• Only four (4) more days till sewing blast-off

The excitement is mounting, girls start your engines....

There are some really nice styles and fabric being shown over at "Stay Cool - Stitch Up a Dress".  Mmmmmm kinda getting me a little riled up and ready to sew.  So I thought I'd take just a minute to show ya'll some Pattern Love.  I've had this pattern and fabric for about a year now.  I didn't get around to making it last summer - so I think it's high time to stitch it up for this challenge.  I was in love with them then - and I'm still in love with them now.  It's  been a long term love affair (ha). 

I just love view C - the white one.  It's a princess seam, slightly flared skirt, button front dress with racer armscye.  This is only one of my "ideal" summer dress patterns, but I've decided to make this one up first since it's been on my mind for such a long time.


My vision of the Ideal summer dress is:

• very cute
• not too stiff or restrictive
• not too frilly but a little whimsical 
• and of course it's cool

I think I'll start working on a muslin for this dress this weekend.


A big "THANK YOU" to all who joined in the challenge.


SIDE NOTE:
I am a firm believer that you can find sewing notions/tools wherever you go.  I stopped by an auto parts store to buy a replacement headlight, and look what I found...an L-Square and  Triangle, and a five piece scissor set. 

Who would have thought - at a parts store...

EMAIL ADDRESSES NEEDED FOR THE DRESS CHALLENGE...

THE FOLLOWING EMAIL ADDRESSES ARE NEEDED FOR THE SUMMER DRESS CHALLENGE:

• PICNIC FAN
• ALIZAW
• MONTANA CHIC

Several people asked for more information on the dress challenge criteria.  Please click here to be directed to the original Dress Challenge information.

Thanks in advance!

STAY COOL - STITCH UP A DRESS...

2011 SUMMER DRESS UPDATE:

• 10 PEOPLE ARE ALREADY IN (COUNTING ME),
•  6 INVITES FROM MONDAY WAITING TO BE ANSWERED, 
•  JUST SENT OUT 10 MORE INVITES FROM TODAY'S RESPONDERS.
• IF I MISSED SENDING YOU AN INVITATION, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO LET ME KNOW.  I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO LEAVE ANYONE OUT!!!

ONLY 6 MORE DAYS UNTIL THE SUMMER DRESS CHALLENGE BEGINS!!! DON'T MISS OUT ON THE FUN!!!