The festive season is upon us again and for us seamstresses that is usually a trigger for LET'S MAKE EVERYTHING IN RED!
The wonderful and talented Renata from The Twilight Stitcher hosts an annual 'Little Red Dress Project' challenge, and this year I decided to take part!
Christmas in Australia is HOT, so it looks like I now have my Christmas day outfit sorted.
Patterns
I used the Rita Blouse by Charm Patterns and redrafted it into a dress (see below for more details).
The pattern comes in different cup sizes, from B to DD and I cut the size 6 with the D cup.
Fabric
This dress is made in a bright red, cotton seersucker from Spotlight.
Changes
I traced the pattern to the waistline markings on the blouse and then cut it out.
I used my own drafted skirt block and converted the darts on the skirt to princess seams, making sure to line up the princess seams with those of the bodice. I then taped the bodice and skirt pattern pieces together to make a dress pattern.
I added a flounce to the hem of the skirt for a little extra fun.
To maximise the ease of getting into the dress, I made the side zipper go all the way up to underarm seam, rather than 3-4cm below. Because this dress is quite fitted in the bodice, that little extra room helps bigger boobs squeeze into the dress.
I usually avoid side zippers for this reason, but the elastic casing along the front and back neckline meant no centre back zipper.
Loves
I love the shoulder/sleaves style of this pattern, which can be worn up on the shoulders, or off the shoulders.
I have been looking for an off-the-shoulder dress pattern for a while, but most of them are free-flowing and loose under the bust and I wanted a more fitted look. I'm bigger on the hips and bust and when the curve of my waist is hidden in loose clothing it can make me look a little frumpy.
I love that this pattern comes with different cup sizes from B - DD. I have made this in both the C and the D cup size. To be honest, the DD would also be a good fit, but I liked how the D cup made the neckline a little lower.
Conclusion
I love how fun this blouse is as a dress! The cotton is cool and comfortable and perfect for summer, so I predict a few more versions of this dress in other colours for this warmer season.
I fell in love with this blouse pattern recently when I made it in THREE different colours! I knew it would make a lovely, fun dress with a little bit of tweaking and I'm happy with how it turned out!
Thank you Renata for hosting another wonderful challenge; I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else has made!
Check out my instagram below to see this as a BLOUSE and with movement! Blog post coming soon.
