What I’m Working On Now

A fabulous orange stripe seersucker Laurel dress with a center front trim detail and in-seam pockets:

seersucker laurel dress | whipstitchI got the idea for this one right around the time the Laurel pattern was released.  That pattern coincided with a (very rare) trip to the mall, where I tried on this dress:

Screen shot 2013-06-26 at 4.14.33 PMIt was my size, but a petite, so it fit great everywhere except the length–the bust points are way off, and that’s saying something, because I have a legendarily short torso, and it takes some work to make things not line up right.  I loved the creamsicle orange-and-ivory seersucker, though, and the lace detail at center front.  I decided well before I snapped this shot to my Instagram that I would be making my own and not spending a scandalous $138 on a dress that didn’t fit all over.  Obvs.

seersucker trim | whipstitchI picked up both the fabric and the trim at Mood when we were in NYC this past April.  In fact, this fabric was really the raison d’etre for that trip to begin with (although my husband is pretty sure it was to score linen for him so I could make him a couple of summer sport coats–not that it’s relevant why we went, just THAT we went).  This is a 100% cotton WOVEN seersucker, which is super important to me–I work very hard to avoid polyester in almost any circumstance, and as far as I’m concerned, why even bother with a seersucker stripe if it’s printed?  Get the good stuff–so I did.  I brought home 3 yds of 55″ fabric, and the Laurel took less than half that, so I think our younger girls might have to get matching dresses this summer.  Little girls dressed to match Mommy?  Circa le 1976, y’all!

seersucker pocket unsewn | whipstitchThe plan is to have this finished for our first-ever band-new-patio cookout this weekend, which I think is do-able.  I’m slowing things down a bit by adding both French seams AND in-seam pockets–which will also have French seams.  But it’s so worth it.  One: pockets, always.  Two: French seams, on everything summery.

Pics when it’s done!  What are YOU sewing today?

 

 

 

 

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  • amber
    June 26, 2013 at 4:56 pm

    Love the orange, and I like your trim a lot better than the trim on the expensive one. Can’t wait to see the finished dress 🙂
    I am sewing a Sewaholic Cambie out of my favorite fabric ever (a gorgeous silk with a very nerdy print- orbit charts, planets, the USS Enterprise…). I have been obsessing about it all day. I am pretty much done with my pattern/fit tweaks- maybe just a tiny bit more tonight, and I am still debating what to use for lining. I am super excited about it! I think it will be my best project yet!

  • Michelle
    June 26, 2013 at 6:45 pm

    Today? Nothing 🙁 but I promise my sewing teacher that that will change soon! 🙂

  • Aliza
    June 26, 2013 at 8:26 pm

    This is unrelated to the post (still excited to see the finished dress :)), but I recently bought your book, Stitch by Stitch, and read and loved all of it. Of course, I don’t think I’ll be doing (m)any of the projects, but that’s besides the point. I heard about you, your blog, and and your book(s), but I only looked at your blog for a split second before going back to whatever blog it was that referred me to you. However, I still decided to buy the book because I’ve been looking for a good beginner sewing book, and I have to say, I love it! Wait, I thought to myself after I finished reading it. How did I just buy and read her book without actually looking at her blog? So I did and so far it looks pretty good :). You’ll definitely be on my favorite/bookmarked blogs list.

  • Karen
    June 27, 2013 at 5:43 am

    That seersucker dress is screaming summer!

    I’ve been working on a beach bag + smaller accoutrements for a birthday gift due this weekend. I’m a slow sewer, make more than a few mistakes, and demand “perfection” when the project is a gift. This is stopping me from making my summer e-course DRESSES for the moment – sorry, I’ll be back once this dang tote gift is complete! 😉

  • Kelli
    June 27, 2013 at 2:24 pm

    So, so pretty and perfect for summer! Can’t wait to see it finished!

  • Red
    June 29, 2013 at 9:27 am

    Made a muslin of Colette’s Lily. First time doing princess seams.

    Also hit the sale at Hancock Fabrics & got cotton seersucker, quilting cotton, & red cotton/linen chambray. I live in Atlanta too, and cotton & linen are the way to stay cool.

    These fabrics will become, respectively, a dress from one of the Japanese Stylish Dress Books, the Go Anywhere dress from Sewn Square One, and Colette’s Hawthorn.