Blame It On The Sun

I blame this dress on Stevie Wonder, and my inability to keep dates straight when it's SUMMERSUMMERSUMMER.

Last weekend, I suddenly realized it was the end of July, and I with no MSN project for the month! I mean, I'd planned not one, but two projects for this Hotter-Than-July, and hadn't touched a scrap of fabric on either. Both were panel prints--I do like a theme--and both were jersey. This gal is an Italian Poly, and her mate was Italian Cotton. Again, themes.

I went for the cotton first, as the fabric content was a bit higher brow. BECAUSE I'M CLASSY. However, the Cotton jersey went south quickly. Welllllllll...not quickly...more like a marathon day of sewing's worth of south. It ended up in the What Was I Drinking bin, which mainly holds cooler weather projects at the moment. Glad to have something summery to stagger down memory lane with! It'll be coming up shortly.

I gnashed my teeth and stomped my feet a bit, loaded all of Stevie's albums, and cut into the second panel print to the tune of "Did I Hear You Say You Love Me."  By the time I got to "All Day Sucker," I was shaking my booty in front of the bedroom mirror like I was at a barbecue with seven spritzers in me, slight heat exhaustion, and my all time favorite song on.

THEN I TURNED AROUND AND REALLY STARTED BOOGEYING ON REGGAE WOMAN.

YEEEEEEAH PRINT PLACEMENT!!!! You know I love those (intentionally) placed cascading flowers, right?! YOU KNOW RUGGY CAN'T STAND THEM, RIGHT?!!!

He’s not a fan of the back. But it makes me laugh so hard it hurts. One could almost say I am exploding flowers! (Or, one could say I am "farting flowers." And that one would be Ruggy. Hey man, Everybody Poops.)

Shall we talk about the sewing for a minute? OH LET'S DO. After the botchery of my first panel try, I needed something quick that would make good use of the second print. Burda Magazine 07-2009-124 Halter Tie Dress to the rescue. It’s supposed to have a wrap back, but to make it even easier on myself, I modified the pattern into 2 on-the-fold pieces. I just used the CB placement marking as my foldline. Two pattern pieces, two panels, add slits, make a tie, whambamthankyama’am, July project saved!

I also used a good bit of Steam-A-Seam Lite in this jammy. This poly wasn't about to keep a crease on its own! Which reminds me, I need to get another Sewing Goodies post up in here. For now, here's the link to my favorite size, a two pack of 1/4" Steam-A-Seam Lite. (That link is affiliated, so cut & paste if you're not into that!) I'll have a proper review up soon, but I've already had three orders of this stuff--I love it. It's a reposition-able double stick tape that sets permanently with steam and heat--like Wonder Tape, but I prefer SAS! You don't lose the stretch of the fabric with this stuff. I used it on the side slits, hem, and neckline of this dress. I suppose you could heat set it and forget it, but I use it to keep the fabric nice and flat for topstitching. If you don't have a serger or coverstitch, this really helps in keeping things looking professional. Make sure you get the "Lite!"

(Side note, anyone else hate the new Miller Lite commercials? Being the inventor of the phrase "Lite Beer" doesn't make light beer any more palatable.)

Nothing Lite about this panel print, that's for sure. I find panel prints not only make you think out of the box, they almost do the work for you. And this one sure saved my tuchus this time around! Ever tried one?

this dress was made with my monthly fabric allowance as part of the mood sewing network. thanks for the (wonderful) stevie earworm, mood!