Akram's Ideas

The Red Hearts – Handmade Summer Dress

Ah, summer is finally upon us and so are all the wonderful summer sewing challenges. So, I’m kicking off summer with the #HandmadeSummerDress challenge hosted by Lisa Kisch and AndrΓ©anne Abel.

The idea behind this challenge was pretty simple to make a handmade dress for the summer and that is exactly what I did. 

The Red Hearts Dress

The last few weeks were pretty busy at work with finals and end of semester wrap up but I really wanted to participate in the #handmadesummerdress challenge, especially since I totally missed my deadline on the #littlelawnparty challenge. 

Of course by the time I had a chance to work on it I only had one week left until the deadline and decided to start by organizing my fabric… which took the total of two days. 

It may sound like I was procrastinating it actually was a good thing. While organizing my fabric I came across a project I started cutting out in 2015 before the move in 2016.

Worked a little magic to finish my Handmade Summer Dress just in time. This red hearts dress is made from contrasting heart print cotton and using the bodice top from Simplicity 1419.
It wasn’t a planned make but I’m so glad I came across this UFO

It was a red hearts dress using Simplicity 1419. A Lisette pattern that is discontinued and what I hear is pretty similar to the Christine Haynes Emery dress

So, I found this cut-out dress, but there was a problem. Only the bodice was cut out with pattern pieces still pinned to the fabric, the rest of the pattern was nowhere to be found. I didn’t even have the pattern instructions.

             
Sewing Summary
Date May 20 Worked a little magic to finish my Handmade Summer Dress just in time. This red hearts dress is made from contrasting heart print cotton and using the bodice top from Simplicity 1419.
Pattern: Simplicity 1419
Version: B
Size: 18
Notes & Modification: Used Simpclitiy 1419 for bodice top and self-drafted the gathered skirt and Peter Pan collar
Recommendations: Nothing this dress is perfect
Difficulty: Easy  Rating:

A little Self Drafting

Having made Simplicity 1419 previously I was pretty sure that I could figure it out. Also since the bodice was already cut out I knew it would be a quick make. 

Worked a little magic to finish my Handmade Summer Dress just in time. This red hearts dress is made from contrasting heart print cotton and using the bodice top from Simplicity 1419.
The original plan was to color block this small piece of white red hearts with the red white heart fabric

After making the bodice I opted to go with a very basic gathered skirt since I knew I could draft that fairly easily with two rectangles. 

The only tricky part was the missing Peter Pan collar piece. I ended up using the collar pattern piece from the Moneta Dress as a guide and adjusted it to meet the neckline of the 1419 pattern; lucky I still had that pattern piece. 

Since the cotton fabric on the dress was very sheer I fully lined the dress with a lightweight white cotton. Because it was lined I decided to pink all the seams for a speedy make. 

Of course, I still managed to take time to add pockets. 

Worked a little magic to finish my Handmade Summer Dress just in time. This red hearts dress is made from contrasting heart print cotton and using the bodice top from Simplicity 1419.
I even managed to make a matching hair bow

Do You Believe in Magic

So with a little crafty magic, I was able to whip up this dress and make it in time for the deadline (just barely). 

Worked a little magic to finish my Handmade Summer Dress just in time. This red hearts dress is made from contrasting heart print cotton and using the bodice top from Simplicity 1419.
This dress was a work of magic as it came together in no time

I’m super glad I came across this half started project and finally finished it. 

It’s funny how sometimes we start projects and they get tossed to the wayside for one reason or another, just to be picked up later just when you need them. 

Have you ever had a project that you started and finished a long long time later? 

Worked a little magic to finish my Handmade Summer Dress just in time. This red hearts dress is made from contrasting heart print cotton and using the bodice top from Simplicity 1419.

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Akram Taghavi-Burris

designer, writer, educator, tech nerd, crafter, baker, sewer and vintage collector, who Brings Creative & Crazy Ides to Life.

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