Open-backed floral dress

Added Jan 27, 2011

by sarsaparilla

Brisbane, Australia

Sitting_down_-_gloomy_thumb

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Description

Another dress from the open-backed pink dress pattern (Style 4358 – not a Simplicity pattern as I had thought!)

I squeezed this dress out from 1.5 m of fabric I picked up for a dollar at a charity store. It was tough, but I managed by reducing the seam allowances of several pieces, as well as shortening the hem to just a single fold. I also used cotton (hand-dyed with tea & coffee) for the facings and bias binding, which I had hand-dyed with tea & coffee for a previous project.

It desperately needs pockets, however! Pockets seem to make an outfit, but for some reason I always forget to add them.

Total cost was one dollar, and that was just for the fabric! Buttons came from my button boxes, and I salvaged the zip from a dress I made when I was 14. I loved it back then, but my standards of quality have improved somwhat over the past five years (i.e., I won’t leave a giant pucker in the lining or skip finishing seams. What was I thinking?)

You can read the unabridged version on my blog: The Forty Acre Wood

Material Notes

Cotton

Categories

12 Comments

  • Ircontemp_large

    Dec 24, 2011, 04.07 AMby bernieandi

    Love it! Such a gorgeous dress!

  • Hisaria_cherries_avatar_large

    Apr 2, 2011, 11.33 PMby Jodi Wade

    It’s beautiful and so nicely finished! The inside looks so neatly done.

    1 Reply
  • 25326_624762504107_33600381_35437090_5790819_n_large

    Jan 31, 2011, 07.06 PMby wendymichelle1015

    I ALWAYS forget the pockets too! I always cut them out but then forget them in the side seams…so I have a lot of inseam pocket shaped scraps…so unfortunate lol

    1 Reply
  • 038_large

    Jan 28, 2011, 11.40 PMby altheacat

    It’s perfect !! well done :-) I think I may try a similar dress next….. hmmmmm

    1 Reply
    • Sitting_down_-_gloomy_thumb

      Jan 29, 2011, 09.41 AMby sarsaparilla

      Thanks! I’d love to see your dress if you make one :)

  • Hii_298_large

    Jan 28, 2011, 02.27 PMby pampula

    Oh, I love this even more than the pink dress, the fabric is perfect! I’ve been looking for a floral fabric like that with earthy shades! Simply beautifull:)

    1 Reply
    • Sitting_down_-_gloomy_thumb

      Jan 28, 2011, 08.23 PMby sarsaparilla

      Thanks :) I was so exciting when I saw this fabric in the thrift store – I really love earthy shades, but they can be so hard to find!

  • Websam_0860_large

    Jan 28, 2011, 02.03 PMby farahajh

    Very nice. I may be dating myself, but i remember that style from the 80’s. I vividly remember a bright floral romper i had as a child with the same back as your dress. I’m not sure i want to try to pull it off again, but it looks fabulous on you.

    1 Reply
    • Sitting_down_-_gloomy_thumb

      Jan 28, 2011, 08.24 PMby sarsaparilla

      Thanks! I remember my mum sewed me rompers with button-up backs when I was little too – the dress makes me feel like I’m 4 years old again :)

  • Icon_large

    Jan 28, 2011, 12.28 PMby lclausewitz

    Very neat! I can sympathize with the part about trying to make the stuff out of as little fabric as possible, although in my case it was for a medieval hood (which I ended up piecing out from several different areas of the oddly-shaped leftovers).

    1 Reply
    • Sitting_down_-_gloomy_thumb

      Jan 28, 2011, 08.27 PMby sarsaparilla

      Thanks! It felt like I was doing a puzzle :)

      Btw I love your newsboy cap! I’m amazed you sewed it all by hand.

  • P1060489_large

    Jan 28, 2011, 06.31 AMby macska

    Very cute! Love it. :-)

    1 Reply
  • V_iolemorn_large

    Jan 28, 2011, 05.18 AMby madli

    Hahaha, love how you said about your sewing at the age of 14 – I used to be exactly the same, wanted to finish and wear the thing, and if the inside looked like a mess, who’d ever see it? Now thinking of it just makes me laugh :D The dress is a cutie – just as the pink one was :)

    1 Reply
    • Sitting_down_-_gloomy_thumb

      Jan 28, 2011, 10.12 AMby sarsaparilla

      haha it’s funny how we change over time – I’m a little embarrassed to show people my first projects :S Thanks for your lovely comment :)

  • Raw_0468_large

    Jan 28, 2011, 01.24 AMby aluckmann

    I love this dress. Everything – the fabric, buttons, and alterations are just perfect.

    1 Reply
  • Missing

    Jan 27, 2011, 11.57 PMby itsblue

    This is to sweet for comfort…Love it!

    1 Reply
  • L_d8c8b445d88e41ad9929fc7e7df71c75_large

    Jan 27, 2011, 11.12 PMby kate-lily

    i love this entirely! could i ask which pattern you used? i’d love to make one for myself

    1 Reply

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