Monday, April 28, 2008

Salute to Spring

Rainy days and Mondays should never happen at the same time. That's all I have to say on the matter. I didn't want to get out of bed this morning, and I certainly didn't have the motivation to wear anything springlike in this gray and dreary, definitely unspring-like weather. I'm still recovering from a double food coma this weekend – dinner out Friday and then again with the family on Sunday. I'm definitely not showing this dress off on me because I'm still too uncomfortable to zip it up!

BWOF 3/08 #113 is my salute to spring dress. I really loved the wedding gown version of this dress with the flutter sleeves. It looked very vintage, and when I found this Liberty print paisley in NY recently, I knew they belonged together. As I said before, this dress is cut a little more snug than the photographs would lead you to believe. I'm always a 38 in BWOF, generally without any alterations, so it really bugs me when they cut something narrower than expected. (I'm also bugged because apparently I'm even wider than expected in the same area; I had a traumatic moment yesterday with an accurate scale and I don't think I'm eating again until I leave for Paris).

I love how this dress turned out. I underlined the entire dress, with the exception of the sleeves, in white cotton batiste. This was for structure and modesty since the paisley was both very soft and somewhat sheer. Because I thought this dress looked so vintage, instead of using a button and loop closure or a pin at the top of the neck, I sewed the edges together and used a self-fabric bow made out of some leftover bias strip. Somewhere deep in the closet I have a vintage dress with a similar treatment and I really think it works with this fabric.

Even though this isn't quite the fit I had intended when I cut the dress out, it does fit – and will fit better very shortly, believe me! – and I can't wait to wear it. If only the sun would come out. The lilacs have almost finished blooming in my back yard and the peonies have started, but the rain is blowing them away almost before they're fully open. I ran out back this a.m. and put fencing around the bush to keep it from collapsing under its own weight.

Mother Nature needs to get on the ball here. I want to wear some of my spring clothes!

10 comments:

Sandra said...

This dress is sooo beautiful. I saw fabric in Paron's awhile ago and loved it. You put it to such good use! So flirty yet ladylike... love, love, LOVE!

Christina said...

Very pretty. I love that pattern too.

Maryissewfast said...

Gorgeous dress...will look very pretty in Paris! Mary

AllisonC said...

I love your dress, I'll remember to go up a size (or 2!) when I get around to making it.

Alexandra said...

Beautiful dress! So spring-like. I agree, the weather needs to get a grip and bring on the sunshine.

Paula Gardner said...

The sleeves are perfect!

A note about Paris...my daughter honeymooned there last fall and she said the food is very, very expensive and not that good, so maybe you better stock up now!

Our lilacs and peonies are nowhere near ready to bloom yet.

Berry said...

Wow that dress is pretty... Perfect for spring, I hope you'll have a nice springy weather when you are here!

Berry said...

Hi Karen, I left you my email address in your "I'm mad" post. I don't live in Paris but should be there from May 8 to May 11. I'll be glad to meet you there for some fabric shopping. Just contact me by email so we can try to organize something...

Cennetta said...

Bravo! The dress is lovely. Thanks for the tip on the sizing. I was also expressed by the floaty sleeves on the wedding gown. Ummm. May be I'll switch the sleeves for by version.

Kat said...

Just lovely!!!