What Became the Weekend Project

BWOF 4/09 #102

Thanks for the compliments on my daughter's new capri pants. She loves them
I had intended for this to be this week's 30 Minutes Per Day project, but I had extra time yesterday afternoon, so I decided since it was already cut out to go ahead and make it. Valerie, yes that is a ribbon tag - I add them all elastic waist items so that the wearer can tell the front from the back.

Regarding this style, while it is cute, it is exactly as modeled in BWOF, (that's the line drawing, but you can click back to the other photo) meaning, too low for me to comfortably wear in public. That doesn't prevent it from becoming a cute summer nightgown, though! Because of the intended use, I did not do the back zipper, but cut a few extra inches of ease through the back to allow for it to be slipped over the head.

This actually is a wardrobe refashion with the fabric coming from one of my husband's dress shirts that he no longer wanted. Seeing the amount of available fabric (he isn't exactly skinny), I rescued it, knowing I could make something from it, if nothing else but some cool bias stripe piping. Once I saw the BWOF pattern with the front drape, I knew I had the right piece of fabric.

Once cut, there wasn't much left:

I even saved the rest of the buttons for a shirt for my son sometime this summer. I cut the front so that the button placket is in the center of the front drape and so that the original hem was preserved. Here is a sleeve opened up to be able to cut out some bodice pieces.

Although this top looks complex, it really is not difficult to make. I thought that the instructions were pretty easy to follow for this top. Overall, pretty easy and practically free nightgown.

Q/A: I know this question was from a week ago, but I want to get it answered! Sorry about that! From the recent red dress post, Micki asked, "I also used an invisible zipper and find that it "sticks" where the seams meet at the zipper (like at the waist). Do you have the same problem? If not, what do you do to keep that from happening? I know it's from all the layers of fabric at those points, but what to do about it, I don't know!" I find that happens, too, with invisible zippers. It does have to do with the amount of fabric at that point - especially if there are a lot of layers. The best thing to do is to carefully grade the seam allowances of the waist seam where the bodice and skirt join, then clip them diagonally so that there is less bulk where the zipper will be sewn in. Other than that, there's not much you can do.

Speaking of invisible zippers - I'll be putting one in the Betty Dress (the 30 minute project of the week, now) - anyone want a tutorial on that? I'm pretty sure you can get that advice anywhere, but if you want to see how I do it, I'll do a tutorial later this week. Let me know in the comments!

Parting Shot: Full Bloom. Both types of my irises are blooming, with more blooms on the way!