• Ideas

Right now I’m working on a dress inspired by this dress that I found at Promod. When I saw it, I knew I had the perfect fabric at home for the accents at the neck and on the sides – a home decor fabric  left over from a maxi-skirt I made in high school. I wasn’t sure if I had a matching lightweight fabric for the rest of the dress, but serendipitously, I found a few yards of lightweight brown fabric in my stash!

The Promod dress is just a straight shift with an elasticated waist, but I want a more structured look, so I’m adding a fitted lining using a basic pattern, Vogue 1004. I’m also adding set-in elbow-length sleeves so I can wear this in colder weather.

It always bugs me when ready-to-wear companies only put decorations on the front of the dress.  Promod has done this with the contrasting diamonds at the sides, but I’m making them extend towards the front and the back. However, this meant that I have no side seams on the bodice, so fitting is going to be a challenge. But where’s the fun in sewing if you don’t have any challenges?

UPDATE: Here’s the post with the finished dress!