This dress is fitted, with a scoop neck, short sleeves and an A-line skirt. The angled darts, waistline, sleeve and neckline edges are highlighted with applied trim.
The fabric was a unique light weight, double layered, quilted, textured silk/rayon fabric (sold out) from smfabric.com. the print was in sober grays with faint splashes of white and greenish yellow. I chose a trim in the same greenish yellow to add some interest to what otherwise would have been a basic style, dull colored, dress.
The dress is called the Ribbon Dress on the Burda Style website. For the trim, the magazine instructions recommend petersham, which is very different than ribbon. Instead I had to look for alternate trims that had a flexible weave. Bias strips to the rescue. A package of Wrights 1 inch double fold quilt binding, cut in half and the cut edge folded in, it created a 5/8″ flexible trim.
My handy, dandy edge stitch foot (also called joining or stitch in a ditch), with the needle position set to 1/8″ from the flange that rides along the edge of the trim, made sewing the trim to the dress a breeze.
Rather than deal with facings on the neck opening, I lined the entire dress. It took a lot of tweaking to get the close fit I wanted in the bodice to prevent the wide neckline from falling off my shoulders.
This fabric was so unique and I would love to see what others made from it. It was very easy to sew and press, though a little shifty to cut out. The texture discouraged wrinkles and I put it to the test, wearing it during a 7 hour car trip. I had pre-washed the fabric prior to cutting out the dress so I was able to machine wash and dry it after the trip. It just needed a little pressing to be ready to wear again.
Thanks Audrey! Your dress is lovely and the bias binding really makes the dress pop! Visit Audrey’s blog sewtawdry.blogspot.com.
