When cutting, I tried to make sure the dominant part of the print was running along the center of my body for visual balance. I was a bit more successful at the back than the front at doing this. There are just so many seams at the front!
I hope you've come to love the pattern as much as I have as we've been sewing. It's such an easy dress to put on and feel sensational in. It was particularly warm on the day we snapped these photos, but I've been wearing it this winter with pink tights and a white cardigan. It's been great fun.
Why Include Plus Sizes?
As we're wrapping up, I want to take a moment and share with you why I felt it was important to include plus-size sewists in the Shift Dress Sew Along. I haven't seen very many sew alongs that do, and the more I looked around, the more I saw there's a lack a fashionable plus-size patterns and not a lot on how to modify ones that aren't to fit you. I was tickled pink when Carolyn agreed to create the tutorial for our sew along.
I get a little teary eyed to down right emotional if I stop to think long enough about what sewing really means to me. I've been sewing since I was 12, and it has gotten me through some truly terrible times and lots of dress sizes. It has also helped me to come to love and appreciate my body just as it is, and strive to flatter my figure and celebrate it rather than hide it away. Every woman deserves to feel that, and if sewing can help make that happen, I'll create whatever tutorials you think you need to get there. And if I don't know, we can learn together!
That being said, please let me know what you think of the sew along! Could I do anything to improve the tutorials, or were there any others you'd like to see? What did you think of the pace? You can simply leave a comment with your feedback or email me.
I get a little teary eyed to down right emotional if I stop to think long enough about what sewing really means to me. I've been sewing since I was 12, and it has gotten me through some truly terrible times and lots of dress sizes. It has also helped me to come to love and appreciate my body just as it is, and strive to flatter my figure and celebrate it rather than hide it away. Every woman deserves to feel that, and if sewing can help make that happen, I'll create whatever tutorials you think you need to get there. And if I don't know, we can learn together!
That being said, please let me know what you think of the sew along! Could I do anything to improve the tutorials, or were there any others you'd like to see? What did you think of the pace? You can simply leave a comment with your feedback or email me.
Upload Your Dress by Feb 24
I would love to share everyone's dresses! Please upload them to the Flickr Pool or leave me a link in the comments by February 24. That way you get a bit more time to finish up, and I can post a parade at the end of the month!
Beautiful! I love the result and the fit is perfect on you. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pam!
DeleteI love the finished dress, what a pretty print. The dress is so flattering on you, but looks easy breezy to wear!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tasha! Those are my favorite kinds of dresses!
DeleteI love it! the fabric is gorgeous. And i love what you said about loving your body and yourself - this is so important, because we have to live in our bodies everyday and we must learn to love it should we spend forever trying to punish what is essentially keeping us alive and being the person our family and friends love inside. Body issues can consume a person but instead understanding what actually works for you, as you mentioned, can help us all start to see ourselves from a different point of view!
ReplyDeleteExactly! We've got a whole lifetime in these bodies, so we should take good care of them physically and emotionally!
DeleteI love your dress! thank you for giving us till the 24th to upload, which I'm trying to do so way before then, I'm having to get things in order for my daughter to spend the nigth then take her at a drop off point to meet up with missionary friends of ours to go to Mexico with them then go outta town to watch my grandchildren for a week
ReplyDeleteHelen
Thanks, Nanna! Sounds like you're going to busy over the next few weeks. I can't wait to see your finished garment, and have fun with your grandkids!
DeleteOooooOooooOooooOOOOOooo look at that dress!
ReplyDeleteAlso, thanks for extending the deadline! I have been so overwhelmed with my January workload and other sewing commitments that I never managed to get past fitting the toile. The extra time will come really handy for completing and photographing the garment!
With regards to your sew along, I personally think your videos were the stars of the show - you look/ sound great on camera, and watching you go through the steps, rather than just describe them, was extremely helpful. Sometimes, no amount of description/ pictures can do what you can quickly explain with just a few seconds of video. And that's what you very successfully accomplished, so congratulations and thank you again for being such a lovely host!
Thank you so much, Isabel! I had so much fun planning the videos and creating them. I'm so glad that they were helpful for you! Can't wait to see your finished dress!
DeleteThat fabric print is fantastic, it is the perfect year round floral! . You are stunning in your dress.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melody! I agree about it being a year round floral, although I would have never thought there was such a thing before this dress!
DeleteThank you! Although I didn't make the dress (yet), I found your posts and videos very helpful in general. I'm a relative beginner (I started learning last March). Also, thanks for including plus sizes. I'm a size 20 in pattern sizes. When I first started sewing, I bought a few "how to" books for beginners that had patterns included, and quite a lot of the patterns were too small for me! It was a bit discouraging, to say the least, and I never made those things, because what would be the point? So thank you for being inclusive, and for giving consideration to fitting rounder body types. You're a very good teacher. And your dress looks great!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Leigh Ann! Sadly, I think your story is a common one. If you can think of other tutorials you'd like to see, let me know!
DeleteOh, I meant to say thank you to Carolyn also.
ReplyDeleteGreat dress! The color and cheerful flowers look great - and I'm so jealous that you can wear a short dress (I'm freezing in yet more snow here in Illinois). Thank you for the sewalong. I'm going to find some fabric to make one of my own - spring will come some day!
ReplyDeleteAustin weather is so unpredictable, you can definitely sneak in summery clothes at any time of the year. The day I took these pictures, it was in the high 70s, and the next day we were in the 20s!
DeleteYour dress is beautiful! I love that fabric and you did a great job on the print placement. I'm sorry to have missed this sew along, but I've still got my eye on this pattern. Someday!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kelly! I hope there is an ace shift in your future!
DeleteYou look so cute and the dress is so pretty. I found your blog yesterday when I was reading your review on Pattern Review. I have never sewn a garment before (I quilt) but I think I just might try this pattern.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carol! I hope the tutorials in the sew along help you if you give it a go!
DeleteFirst it was my honor to share my techniques with you. I hope they helped someone! Second, I love, love, love your dress! It is truly beautiful! My fabric and pattern pieces lay together waiting to be sewn up. Hopefully will get to this soon and hopefully my dress will be as pretty as yours!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carolyn!! I'm sure yours will be lovely!
DeleteI did it! I made a dress. Thank you so much, I really never thought I would be able to, but you gave me the confidence to just go for it, and I'm so happy. xxxx
ReplyDeleteYou can see it here on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliaclare/12419287245/
Congratulations!! It turned out beautifully! I love the polka dot fabric you chose, and it looks like it fits you great!
DeleteThis is so lovely I've only just seen this. What an absolute knockout dress. I'm thinking I'm gonna have to make one up especially as I'm big around the boobs and I've struggle to find RTW in this shape. Love what you said about body confidence. I'm really lucky in that I love the skin I live in. Even with all it's lumps and bumps it doe amazing stuff so I'm glad to get to sew it some amazing things to celebrate it :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rehanon!! I'll have to follow your blog; it looks like you've got some fun makes up there. You're totally right about sewing being a great way to celebrate you! I love it!
Delete