STYLISH DRESS BOOK : DRESS S
Stylish Dress Book (available at the workroom)
Dress ‘S’ : Navy Metal Blend Fabric with Liberty of London ‘Mirabelle’ detail
Finally! I’ve been wanting to share this dress with you for a while. When I first made it last year, I did something silly and made the scalloped hem detail with just 2″ of Liberty of London Mirabelle as the lining. This meant when I sat down or really even just walked, you could see past the lining. I finally re-did the hem with about 10″ of lining and I honestly don’t know why I didn’t just line the entire skirt. I’m not redoing it again, but next time I would make that modification. I had been wanting to try a scalloped hem for a while and it’s really not that hard at all. I used Liesl’s tutorial to guide me through. I like how she did the scallop detail on just the back of her skirt.
This pattern is from Stylish Dress Book. What’s unusual about this pattern is that it actually has a zipper in the back! Most Japanese Dress Book dresses just slip over your head. What’s great about having a zipper is that the pattern is actually more fitted than most of the loose tunics I usually make. The main fabric of the dress is a navy metal blend fabric that I got at the Liday Baday Designer Fabric Showroom. This is the second metal blend fabric that I’ve sewn with and it’s interesting to see the different properties that metal brings to fabric. What attracts me is the shimmer, but the fabric also has more memory and hold creases quite tightly, similar to the look of linen. I’d like to try this pattern again in a softer fabric, perhaps even a Liberty of London print.
I added side seam pockets, of course. I used the same Mirabelle print for the pockets that I used on the hem detail.
Without a doubt, Stylish Dress Book has been my favourite book to sew from. Taking a look through the pages, I’m thinking that Tunic G is going to be next!
29 comments
Very lovely!
So pretty! I love that scalloped hem, Karyn.
so cute! love that hem detail. and i love the tights too!!!!
Yet another lovely dress, and that darling scalloped hem is quiet and over-the-top at the same time. The fit of this dress is great! Gorgeous.
so awesome!
So cute! Agree with Johanna on all points.
Karyn the dress is beautiful, I just love the sleeves and your take on it, of course. It fits like a glove. I’ve been eyeing S up for ages too but it’s the zip that’s been putting me off. Seeing it now, I think I shall have to bury the fear and go get it!!
This dress is great! The shape is very flattering. And I really like your choice of fabrics. Can’t wait to see the tunic.
What a great dress Karyn! I really admire all the handmade pieces you make and post on your blog. So inspiring and original.
That looks SO Cool. I love it! Hmmm, will have to buy that book.
This is super cute! I love the contrast hem that peeps through the scalloped edge.
10/10. Super refined. Gorgeous.
I really, really love this. Sometimes I have a hard time visualizing a pattern in any fabric other than what the model has on. I didn’t care much for poor little dress S until I saw this post… you’ve done it up so beautifully!
eeeeeeeeeeee! OMG – so awesome! I love your dress!
amazing scalloped hem – I’ve never seen anything like it. Thanks for introducing me to Liesl’s blog as well.
beautiful! the scallops are so amazing. My daughters would love a detail like that (sometimes they’re so girly) 🙂 the metal fabric sounds really cool too!
this is amazing..I didn’t realize it was METAL blend fabric! I agree with Johanna, the fit of the dress is so perfect.
I made tunic G and I wasn’t that happy with it. I used a soft fabric because of the drape but I wasn’t happy with how the shoulders fit. They are drop shoulders and unless you have very sheer or lightweight fabric the shoulders just don’t lay right. I tried to fix it and ruined it so I cannot show you what I meant.
It’s adorable! I love the hem.
Karyn, you never cease to amaze. Love it!
I love this hem so much. Every time I look at this blog I feel like I need to sew more. If only there were more hours in the day…
Oh Karyn! WOW- I think is my ALL time favorite!! Quick Question though: do you sew up muslins when you work with your Japanese patterns?
LOVE the scallop!
Nice job Karyn! Scalloped hem! Metallic Blue fabric! Great choices.
I just saw you on pintrest. Your dress is absolutely lovely. Also, your book suggestions are fantastic.
One quick question since I’m new to the blog. Is it difficult to follow the japanese patterns without english??
That’s great, you managed to make this pattern a lot more interesting! I love the colour you chose and the pockets. If I may put my 2 cents in, be careful with the G design, it’s really big so you should maybe make a muslin?
Scallops are my favorite detail to sew. You did a really good job with this dress. I love the idea of sewing contrasting fabric on the inside !
I am so glad I found you!! I bought this book recently and am dying to make the dresses in it. I am very nervous about trying it because the directions are not in English..i went as far today as to look online to have them made up for me! I love seeing which ones you have done has anybody made T or Y? I even bought black eyelet to make I. here is my post about this book…now I need to read everyone of your posts! Yeah, a kindred spirit! http://monicaleestudios.com/blog/trouble-i-got-into-in-nyc
PS scallops are DARLING!
how on earth do you make the clothes, if the directions are in Japanese? I love the scalloped hem dress!
Thanks
Kate
I loved visiting your blog. I am now crazed for Japanese sewing books. Your choice of fabrics are amazing and of course your projects fit you great!
I have a question. I am shopping for a new sewing machine. Do you recommend one? Thank you!