Although the mention of
Frankenstein conjures up scary images of Igor and bad posture, Franken-patterns
are quite different. Sewists have coined
the term to describe combining more than one sewing pattern until a new look materializes. Ahhh, the joy of creating something new and
unique. “It’s Alive!”
It’s time for a winter
dress and I’ve been drooling over this fabric for quite some time, both because I love the print
and because a double crepe can be difficult to find. It has a pebble like texture, beautiful drape
and “mechanical” stretch, meaning that although it is a woven fabric without
lycra, it still has a slight crosswise give.
The stretch makes this fabric easy to sew and even more comfortable to
wear.
The print is sophisticated
but still really fun and lends itself to a simple style. The skater dress
silhouette is quite popular right now and I thought a modified version would be
perfect. There are plenty of skater
dress patterns out there but I couldn’t find one suitable for a woven fabric,
therefore, I decided a Franken-pattern was in order.
For the bodice, I used New
Look 6144 View B. I’ve used this pattern before and love the fit. I
cut the pattern 1" above the waistline so the skirt would sit just above
the waist and made pleats at the neckline instead of the darts the pattern
called for.
For the skirt, I wanted to
dirndl style skirt, not too full, not many seams, so I could make the best use
of the print. I used Simplicity 1354 for the skirt, omitted the pockets
and left everything else the same.
What’s a cute dress without
a bag to go with it? Simplicity pattern
1387 was the basis for the shape of the bag, but I changed the handles,
closure, hardware and lining to get the bag that I wanted.
The top of the bag is lightbeige twill and black wool suiting makes up the bottom and
handle. To round out the menswear feel
of the twill and wool, I lined it in a classic striped shirting and trimmed it with
“pleather”. The pattern doesn’t have any
pockets in the lining, so I added a zip pocket on one side and sectioned
pockets with bias trim on the other.
I’m so happy with my
Franken-pattern dress and my coordinating bag makes me feel like I really have
it together. Thanks Dr. Frankenstein. And thank you Fabricmart!
