A Casual Party Dress

I decided to sew along with Project Run and Play this season.  I am pretty sure I will end up missing a week along the way since I am also working full time but I will do my best!  The first project is a remix of a Party Dress.  I read this tutorial a few times to get a feel for the pattern/dress.  It seemed to me the essential elements were the large buttons/loop closures, the wide sash with the pleat (the pleat is one of my favorite design elements on this dress) and the color block border on the skirt.  I knew a super fancy dress would just get stuck in the back of a closet so I decided to make a scaled down version of this dress. 

Here are the details:
-The main fabric is a Valorie Wells quilting cotton and the other fabric is a solid broadcloth.

-I kept the bodice the same as the original pattern. 

-I cut down on the volume of the skirt significantly.  I used a piece about 43 inches wide and so I just had one seam up the back.

-I used solid bias tape to make the button loops.  I happened to have a perfect match in my stash so it worked well.

- I added a patch pocket.

-I made the sash with BOTH fabrics.  I wanted to be able to see both kind of "swirl" in the loops of the bow.

-I shortened the sash .  I am hoping this will be a dress Maya can wear to church (or maybe even school since Maya loves to be fancy) on a regular basis and I had visions of a long sash getting stuck in doors or dipping in the toilet.  I kept the pleats at the side and I love the way they look.

-I didn't use fabric covered buttons.  I found really pretty pink buttons made from recycled plastic which matched perfectly.



Maya was a little annoyed with me when she saw that the buttons and the bow went on the back.  Since she can't really see them that way, she thinks it is pointless.  She got over it enough to take pictures!  Lesson learned though - bow in the front next time.

One final pose: