Modified Crepe by Colette Patterns

5:48 pm

dress4

I last made a Crepe about two years ago, and despite a couple of silly mistakes I was pretty happy with that dress. I'm not really sure why I haven't made another since. Although I have made a couple of skirts using the same pattern.
My friend Mary picked out this fabulous fabric for me recently knowing I would love it, and of course I did! I couldn't decide between making a full circle skirt or a dress, of course it had to be a dress really.
I wanted to make a Crepe, but it soon became apparent that with such a large one way design there was no way I had enough fabric for the wrap skirt.I tried various lay outs, but nope, I couldn't squeeze the extra out no matter how I tried. About to give up, I had a thought that maybe I could keep the wrap back bodice, but stitch it into the skirt to become a kind of faux wrap. The wrap back would mean I could fit the dress over my head, and if I added an underarm invisible zip too....it might just work?

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I added some vintage buttons, which I can just about fasten myself. And on the whole I think it's worked, for a dress I was improvising as I went along. I think if I were to make another I would cut the inner back bodice wrap differently to fit neatly into the waist of the skirt.

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I lined the entire dress, but treated the skirt lining as an underlining, mostly because the cotton lining was quite slippy and fine, it felt like it needed the stability of being attached.

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I wasn't really happy with the sleeve/armhole, and since these photos were taken yesterday I have trimmed a bit off the sleeve/armhole edge and finished the raw edges with pink bias binding, they feel much more comfortable and less restricting now.

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A good dress for a walk in Florence's wood, for piggy backs, and picnics .


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4 comments

  1. I was right about the fabric being perfect for you! I love the dress!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Mary, I love the fabric, you know me well x

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  2. Looks like you did a good job with the dress! The scale of the print really suits the dress. Lucky you for having such a good friend!

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  3. Lovely dress! I love the fabric too!

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