I’ve been sewing for myself a lot lately and I kind of love it.
When Kelly from Sewing In NoMans Land asked me to participate in her In the Summer When It’s Sizzling in Paris series…you know, the incredible and stuning Kelly who is living abroad with her family in France with her husband and four adorable kiddos. All the scenery and sewing in her pictures? A-maaaazing. If you haven’t already, you have to check out her Project Sewn posts in which she won first! Yeah, she is definitely not one to miss.
Anyway, so when Kelly asked me to participate in her Paris series, I knew I wanted to make a little black dress. I know black is not exactly an ideal summer color, so I decided to make the dress a bit casual by adding some slouch.
I combined April Rhode’s Staple Dress and my Pleated Pencil Skirt pattern right at the shirring line on the Staple Dress pattern piece.
I omitted the kick pleat on the skirt and blended the slouchy top portion into the pencil skirt.
Instead of using elastic thread to gather the waist, I used 1/4 inch wide elastic and zig zagged it to the waist. I added a second piece of elastic to the back waist, which pulled the dress to the back more and helped smooth out the front skirt section.
The result is a fun slouchy top with a knit pencil bottom.
Well almost a pencil skirt bottom. 😉 This dress was a bit of an experiment. I think it’s super cute but I would like to make the skirt more form fitting and maybe use a fabric with a bit more drape. This is a mid weight spandex I had plans to sew another way but changed my mind!
I really like the style of this dress, so I am pretty confident I will give it another go.
I’m the inaugural guest for Kelly’s Paris series. Be sure to check back to her site for the rest of July to see more lovely summery French inspiration!
(AND it’s also Kelly’s birthday today. So, be sure to leave her some birthday wishes as well!)
Sources:
Black Spandex Knit Fabric || Girl Charlee
Sandals, Belt || Forever 21
Heels || Head Over Heels
Ooooh, that is one stunning dress! I’m feeling tempted to dust off the sewing machine and have a go myself…
Thank you Sabrina!
The dress looks super cute and super comfy. Love the styling too!
Thanks Olga!
What a nice casual and comfortable line …. Love the styling and the pics !
Thank you Sasha!
Delia this is soooooo perfect! You nailed that Je n’ai se qoui that underlines french fashion. Chic but not overstated, timeless yet slightly casual. That look that says “oh this? Yes I just threw it on and happen to look FABULOUS” Thank you so much!!
Hugs
Kelly
Kelly…you are the sweetest ever! Thank you for letting me be apart of your series! 🙂
Great tutorial, dress and styling. Perfect!
Aw. Thanks Brienne!
oh i love this, delia!! way to combine two great things. it doesn’t look like you made this in knit but i feel like it would be super super comfy in a knit, don’t you think? i think LBDs are always necessary, even in the summer.
I do! And it actually is knit. I originally was going to blend the penelope peplum top with my pencil skirt so I bought a black spandex mid weight knit for it. Then…I changed my mind at the last minute but didn’t have time to get different fabric. I think it turned out fine, but yes, I can’t wait to use a drapier knit and maybe make the top and skirt separate pieces before sewing them together and putting in an elastic casing….lots of ideas of how to improve buzzing in my head already! ha.
Love the dress Delia…You did an amazing job! I can’t stop looking at your cute heels. Can you tell us what brand they are?
Thanks! The heels I’m sorry to say were bought at Head Over Heels maybe 4 years ago on clearance. They are starting to wear out a bit and I am trying to find a good back up pair for when they fall apart. No luck yet though!
I adore slouchy dresses right now. This is too cute!
Thanks Stacia!
Eeek! This is so cute! I actually really like that it’s bit as fitted on the bottom- keeps it so wearable for every day! Can’t wait to see you make another. Also, I really love brown shoes and accessories with black outfits. 🙂
That would be *NOT* as fitted on the bottom… Sheesh! 😉
I got what you meant. 😉 Thanks! I love black and brown too. It’s becoming my jam. I seriously wear it all the time!
I love this dress! Such a great fit, I think the fact that the bottom isn’t too fitted makes it a great casual dress. Can you make me one?! 😉
haha! You know…I am thinking of making it into a pattern. We’ll see….. 😉
This looks like pretty much the perfect dress! I love it.
Aw. Thanks Sam!
This is so great Delia! Love that it’s chic but still comfy. And I have to say that I think you’re probably the most naturally beautiful person I know. Seriously.
Perfect! Love it…now i really want to learn how to sew. Cant you show how you did the dress because i would really lov to sew one.thks.
Thanks! I used two paid patterns blended together so it would be kind of tricky to show it in a tutorial. This was also kind of an experiment, so I would want to tweak it and change a few things if I were to do a tutorial, or more likely a pattern. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
I love this dress! I know it was a long time ago, but have you tried to make this again? I’d really like to recreate it – I have the patterns, but I’m not sure how to combine them. Any tips?
Thanks Kaitlin! I haven’t yet. If I were to make it again, I would use 1/2 inch wide elastic all the way around instead of the two different sizes of elastic. I think that would cinch things nicely but still be nice and flexible and comfortable. I think I would make the top of the staple dress as a blouse and leave the bottom raw. Then I would make the skirt separately and leave the top unsewn as well. Then I would sew them together and form a casing at the seam. Maybe add a strip of fabric from the inside, align with with the seam, sew top and bottom, leave an opening, thread elastic through and then close it. I would also use a knit fabric with more drape. I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any further questions and I’ll see if I can help.