My Nordstrom Knit Dress

I like this dress that appeared in a recent Nordstrom catalog.  It is a simple princess line knit dress with added fullness in the lower side front and side back panels.

While the dress is not expensive for Nordstrom standards, I would prefer to sew the dress rather than purchase it because I want custom fit, a longer length, and a different color and fabric.  Other than that the above dress is fine!  I'll show you the pattern work so you can recreate the look also.

Step 1.  Start with any princess seam dress pattern.   Below you see the Side Front panel recreated on tracing paper.  By the way, I purchase canary yellow rolls, 24" x 25' or 50', from Dick Blick online. Be sure to trace the grain line.

Side Front panel

Step 2.  Raise the hem 12".

Step 3.  Raise the hem 12" on the traced Side Back panel.

Side Back panel

Step 4.  Lay the Side Front and Side Back panels, aligning the side seams.

Side Back and Side Front panels

Step 5. Transparent tape the side seams together below the new 12" mark.

Step 6.  Add fullness to the lower sides.  You are not adding fullness above the 12" mark.

Step 7.  Separate the 12" deep flounce pattern you just created.  Add seam allowances where needed.

Modified Side Front and Side Back

The Side Front panel is now 12" shorter than on the original pattern.  I added a 1/2" seam allowance along the bottom.  Same for the Side Back panel.  There are no other changes to these panels.

Step 8.  Add a seam allowance to the top of the flounce pattern; I added 1/2" at the top/narrow edge.  

The grain can be along the old side seams which is the center of the flounce.  I have also drawn a bias grain line for a slightly different drape.  I plan to cut my flounce along the bias grain.  

Fabric color is accurate in this photo

 I chose a textured cotton/lycra knit from Vogue Fabrics, on sale last fall for $5 per yard. 

photo highlights fabric texture

 The flounces add movement to the dress design. 

Wide Bands of Faux Fur on a Winter Coat

A friend of mine commented recently that I haven't posted a photo of myself on the blog in many months so I put on my new coat, grabbed an unenthusiastic teenage male photographer on holiday break from school, and went outside for a photo shoot in seven degrees Fahrenheit.

Wool coating with wrong side of fabric used for contrast

The construction/design details I want to discuss are the use of faux fur and polar fleece as underlining.  All my friends from southern states will be disappointed in this article, but in Chicago we needs warm clothes.  Bear with me; I will switch to spring fashions February or March at the latest!

the faux fur is dyed wine and black; very dimensional color

The burgundy tweed wool coating is from Vogue Fabrics, and the faux fur is from Mood Fabrics.  In early December Mood has a huge selection of faux fur in interesting colors and at fair prices.  Last week I checked back and they appear to be almost sold out of faux fur.  I used a somewhat heavy polyester stretch satin for the lining.  I like heavy coat linings to add warmth.  They also wrinkle less. 

I even made a dress from the extra fabric!  This close-up shows beads and self-fabric fringe decorating the neckline.  Self-fabric fringe zig zags around the dress.  I got the idea from a Chanel dress shown two summers ago.  Note the contrast fabric on top of the shoulders.  A small detail that creates nice visual interest.  This is a good detail to add to jackets and coats also.

The coat has fabric belt loops.  When the belt is tightened around the waist, the belt loops will sag away from the body if they are much longer than the belt width.  I had to stitch the belt loops on twice to get them sitting nicely.

The coat front has single welt pockets which are nearly invisible.  I could have used contrast fabric for the welts, but my thinking was that fur and hood should be the focal points. 

The coat closes with size 4 snaps.  I used interfaced coat lining (polyester charmeuse) to cover the snaps.  This is the female side of the snap.  Note the pocket of the snap has lining.  The male side of the snap will not attach to the female side due to the thick lining fabric.

I cut away fabric from the pocket of the snap, and now the two sides hold firmly.

The male side of the snap.

Below is the back panel of the coat.  The fashion fabric is interfacing with fusi-knit interfacing.  Red polar fleece laid on top.  The polar fleece is cut so it will not be caught in the seams; polar fleece is bulky and the side seams will not lay flat with fleece in them.  I am just trying to add warmth to the upper back panel.

I loosely basted the fleece to the back panel with horizontal rows every three inches.  The thread basting catches the interfacing and a thread of the fashion fabric.  The basting won't show since the wool coating is thick.

The raw edges of the fleece are catch stitched to the interfacing to hold them flat.

The coat is a bit heavy to wear, but it is warm and unique.