Preventative Stashbusting Maintenance

I know, I know, July is my month to host the Stashbusting Sewalong theme of dresses and here I am presenting my newest maxi dress made from newly purchased fabrics.  To make matters worse, I am even parading my newest fabric purchases before the whole of the sewing community.  What kind of example am I setting for all of the sewalong participants and myself?  I am calling it preventative stashbusting maintenance.

If I buy it now and use it, it will not languish in my stash next year.  Oh, that is a thing that other sewists who don’t have stashes do on a regular basis?  But what if they see a fabric that if left in the store will cause them to drop dead right there?  You are telling me they will not really die?  I don’t believe that crazy theory and I don’t think I will test it either.

This is my newest maxi dress using Simplicity 1804 view A.  I posted about purchasing this fabric last month and not knowing which dress to make with it, so I asked the whole of Instagram and Facebook which pattern to use Simplicity 1804 or Simplicity 1355.  The overwhelming response was Simplicity 1804.  I did use S1355 for the coral chevron maxi that I posted a couple of weeks back.  I do not think I could be happier with both of these dresses.  When you need help deciding the Sewcialist community is always there to point you in the right direction.

I used all 3 yards of the wonderful chevron print ITY jersey and 3 yards of nude swimwear lining that I purchased back in June.  I also used a header/scrap of a peach colored ITY that I got from work last year.  The total cost for this dress is $32.97, making is one of the “pricier” dresses I have made.  It is worth it though as I love this dress.

One of the biggest changes I made was redrafting the front bodice, because of how last years version fit.  I kept the sleeve, shoulder and bottom the same and changed the center front seam by raising the neckline 4″ to provide more chest coverage.  Oh yeah, there is a seam in the center front of that bodice, check out my mad pattern matching skills! 🙂

I eliminated the facing around the neckline, since I hated that from the last time I made this, in favor of stitching a narrow hem around the sleeves and neckline.  I did, also, add an underlining to the bodice and a full loose lining to the skirt.  This chevron fabric is a bit on the lighter side and I felt like I needed a little extra weight to the dress.  I chose to use swimwear lining because it has the most similar stretch, weight, and feel as the chevron did.  I picked a nude over a white for the same reason I will always wear a nude bra,  it blends in better with my skin tones making is less noticeable.

Have you ever worn a white bra under a white shirt?  The bra will show through your white shirt almost every time.  Now go try on a nude bra with the same white shirt and it won’t show through, I promise. Go ahead, I will wait.  It doesn’t show through does it?  And that is why I choose a nude lining over a white.

You can read my full review for Simplicity 1804 on Pattern Review here.

I mentioned something earlier about parading new fabrics right?!  Well here they are.  As part of the annual summer fabric destashing at work we were given the opportunity to purchase some of it by the roll.  I paid $35 for 31 yards of fabric, about $1.12 per yard.  Not to shabby.

Now, working in the show choir industry most of what was there was sequins and glitter.  However, there were a few fabrics that I have had my eye on for a couple of years now.  Those two floral prints to be exact.  One is in a blue colorway and one is in a purple.  From the moment I saw them I thought they would make great maxi dresses and that is exactly what I am going to make with the blue one.  The purple is just shy of 3 yards, so I think just a knee length dress for that one.  I got 2 yards of lime green milliskin tricot, which has already been cut for it’s intended purpose of being used for testing the Bombshell Swimsuit pattern, more on that another day.  Also pictured above are 12.75 yards of black Georgette and 4.5 yards of nude milliskin tricot.

I also walked away with 5 yards of this solid sequin stunner! The base of the fabric is a 4 way stretch ITY that is covered in black sequins that have a reflective rainbow appearance when the light hits them.

 

This was a hard fabric to photograph to show it off, but I did manage to get these two pictures.  I have big plans for this one that should only use two of the five yards. Big plans!  Yep that’s right, a sequined Morris Blazer!  I think this will be great for fall, providing an element of cool casual style into my work wardrobe.  I am really looking forward to sewing this blazer up within the next couple of months.