This is the Gabby Dress again with some more adjustments. But first, how about this crazy fabric? I got at a yard sale, I think for about $5. I should tell you that I intentionally placed the little people upside down; in making this dress I wanted to balance some kookiness and some style and I really didn't want a big old doll on my belly like a care bear or something.
Being impatient as usual, I sewed this up the same way as the "muslin" and when I tried it on, found it to be too loose and baggy, forgetting this is how the muslin fit. Since I was trying to balance kookiness and something else, I wanted this to be a little more of a fitted A-line dress. So I narrowed the sides some more and cut down the back and added a zipper so that I could still pull it over my head.
I loosely used this tutorial after seeing these very cool exposed zippers at Closet Case Files, particularly on this amazing dress. Again, I had some colorful zippers that might have looked cool, but somehow wanted to keep this from going too kooky, so you know, exposed zipper in a neutral color = balance?
I mentioned before that I want to start challenging myself; this is not the big challenge, but I was trying to improve my quality on simpler things. I am not a gentle person and I pull and tug a lot, so I appreciated when this pattern advised being gentle when sewing the neck binding, and you know what? I think it's my best one yet.
I'm thinking of posting a big "GENTLE" sign above my sewing machine. But maybe in a gentle font.
