Hey Folks- Megan here! I don’t know about you but I always make last minute New Years Eve plans and then I ALWAYS feel the need to sew something new. Do I need something new? No. But do I want it? Yes of course!! There’s nothing like a fun event to inspire some last minute sewing. I wanted to show you some quick but fun dresses that I’ve made in hopes of inspiring a little last minute sewing of your own.
For me, the best way to complete a quick project is to start with the stash. For those of us that require a lot of pattern alterations like grading up or bust adjustments, cutting a new pattern is can be tedious and time consuming. I normally pick a knit pattern or a simple woven design without closures that I have already sewn before and know won’t need any major alterations. It’s always a bummer to spend all day sewing something and have it end up not fitting correctly or be unwearable! Once I’ve shopped the (extensive) pattern stash, its time to move on to the fabric stash. A robust stash is the secret to last minute sewing success (or at least that’s what I tell myself). A fun print or textured fabric is a sure way to take a more casual pattern and make it fancy! I always find this is a great time to use up those fabrics that I bought and loved but couldn’t figure out how to incorporate in my day to day wardrobe. NYE is the perfect occasion to get a little crazy.
The first example I want to share is one I’m sure many of you already have in your stash, the Turner Dress from Cashmerette. It’s a fun knit design and I find that the lined bodice is quicker to sew than bands or bindings. The v-neckline and longer length make it easy to feel more dressed up than some other knit pattern options, so I didn’t even make any design modifications to the pattern, which is unusual for me. It’s a simple design, so let the fabric do the talking. Make it in a bold print scuba and you won’t even have to hem it!
I made this for my Christmas party last year, but I’ve also worn it to a wedding so it has already gotten more wear than I was expecting when I finished the project. This Turner Dress is made in a scuba knit from Joann Fabrics.
My second dress is a Papercut Pattern’s Sway Dress, but any woven pattern without closures and that can be made in a fancier fabric will work well for a quick holiday sewing project. In my opinion, the secret to dressing up a basic design is to go big with your fabric choice. Papercut doesn’t have a great size range (though I do find their drafting to run about a size big, at least in the larger sizes), so I wanted to suggest a few other options. I love the Style Arc Adeline that Meg made, it looks great in a bold print and stands up well to a structured fabric. I’ve personally made the Style Arc Olivia dress in a number of rayon fabrics, and I’m sure it would work equally well in lightweight silk print. The Webster Dress from Cashmerette would also be a great option. For any of these patterns, I would suggest omitting the pockets or any other design features like straps or seams without shaping if you are running short on time.
I made this dress for a New Years eve outing 2 years ago, and it too has gotten multiple wears, once again proving that last minute sewing isn’t always the worst idea ever. It’s made in a really fun handwoven cotton from Thailand. The fabric is so interesting that it works well with the simple dress design and I always get a lot of compliments on it, which I know is just due to the amazing fabric. I skipped the pockets on this one, but I did add some little cap sleeves from the Made by Rae Washi Dress.
This last dress I actually made as a bridesmaid dress for a wedding, so it required a bit more planning when it came to fabric purchasing, but was really quick to sew. Would you believe this is the Colette Moneta pattern with just a few simple pattern hacks? I’m sure this is a pattern that many of us have in our stash because it was one of the first plus size knit patterns on the market. All I did was draft a v-neck on the back (you could easily trace from another pattern) and substitute the gathered skirt for a circle skit. I think the circle skirts reads a bit more “fancy” while a gathered skirt is more casual. I used a stretch lace that I lined with a nude stretch lining, though I think this would also look great in a stretch velvet.
So, there is my inspiration for last minute sewing, is anyone else as addicted to quick projects as I am? I would ask if you have any last minute sewing plans but I guess that defeats the purpose… no planning, simply sewing as the inspiration strikes! However, I will admit I have some stretch velvet in the stash that may just turn into a New Years Eve sewing project…
I have a copy of that rock necklace you’re wearing with the grey lace dress. Mine was brought from Vietnam by a friend of my mother’s. How interesting, I’ve never seen another one like it.
I love all your dresses, the lace dress is gorgeous. And I love your blue ankle booties. 🙂
I bought the Style Arc Winnie funnel neck shirt pattern a few weeks ago and ended up making a dark green wool jersey dress out of it for Christmas. I still plan to use it to make workout shirts, but it was so easy to turn it into a winter dress.
I’m leaning towards making easier faster garments these days, not just for the holidays, and the dresses you made have given me some great ideas! Happy New Year!
Thanks, Stephanie! I am almost always a fan of quick projects, they are so satisfying. My one exception to the rule is jeans!
Lovely dresses! I’m so interested. Any suggestions, resourses, links for those of us in Goddess-sizes? Think Willendorf, Laussel and larger — Roamans & Woman Within (horrid name, like there’s “really” a woman inside alla this fat?) their sizes 40, 44 (6xl, 7xl, 8xl & up, approx 330 lbs and up), and larger?
In all my years, I’ve never seen a commercial pattern for those of us in truly Goddess sizes, above “merely” lol Queen or Empress sizes!
Any resources? Any fitting and/or serious resizing hints and helps?
Cuz I love your stylin’ and attitude, been mine since our late-1970s onset years of Dyke Fat Liberation!
Thanks for the gorgeousness continuing!
(Please excuse typos from tiny phone keypad!)
Thanks, ReaRae! If you check out the link at the top of the page (http://curvysewingcollective.com/resources/plus-size-patterns/) you can see a whole list of pattern companies with their size ranges listed. I hope you can find something that works for you. I’ve heard good things about “fashion patterns by connie crawford” which go up to a 76″ hip, but there are some other options that might work too! Good luck!
Hi Rea, I am right up there in the “Nope, this plus size pattern isn’t going near me” size range too. I mostly self draft, actually I’m taking a wee break from cutting out palazzo pants free hand and a top I drafted from one from city chic that I love BUT anyway, my Go To for bought patterns is Khalia Ali. Especially McCalls M2078 (my blogpost about it here: http://sentfrommyiron.blogspot.co.nz/2015/07/i-actually-made-another-actual-dress.html) and Simplicity 1623 (http://sentfrommyiron.blogspot.co.nz/2015/07/i-actually-made-actual-dress.html)
I am a huge fan of dresses – I love how it only requires one decision to make in the morning! but right now I’m having fun with separates for a change so back to the kitchen bench aka cutting table. Happy sewing!
P.S. Love all the frocks in this post, very stylish 🙂
You might want to check out Joi Mahon’s fitting class on Craftsy. It’s basically flat pattern alterations, and I’ve used her method to size up many smaller sized patterns. Barbara Deckert also has a plus size pattern fitting course on Craftsy,
I love dresses! Thank You for all this helpful information!
Thanks, Eliz!
Merry Christmas! No last minute selfish sewing for me this year…but I love your dresses! I love the idea of putting a circle skirt on the monetta…but while I know how to draft a circle skirt, I don’t know how to draft the hole to exactly fit the bottom of the bodice. Maybe a CSC tutorial, someday? Hint hint! Lol! I Hope your season is merry and bright!
Ps – what is scuba knit? I picture a scuba diver suit fabric, which is obviously wring, lol!
Hi Nita! I can help answer one of your questions… scuba knit is very like scuba diver suit fabric, but it’s without a neoprene foam core, It is a doubleknit, 4-way stretch fabric with a great deal of body. For fashion purposes it’s made in varying weights and lots of colors and patterns. The heavier weights have a wonderful body for any interestingly shaped pieces and the lighter weights fall in lovely sculptural folds in skirts.
Hope that helps!
Nita seems to have covered the Scuba knit, much better than I would have! I normally just google “circle skirt tutorial” when I’m trying to make one and always find something that works. By Hand London has one but it has a very limited size range. I think I followed something on You Tube for this dress. Fortunately, when working with knits, it doesn’t have to be exact. I’m pretty sure I ended up stretching the bodice to fit the skirt a bit, but when I put it on it doesn’t appear gathered due to the negative ease!
Merry Christmas! Great idea for a blog! I stitched up a skirt yesterday afternoon after finding that I hadn’t brought a skirt for my Christmas eve outfit. I haven’t sewn clothes for myself in years but have been reading the CSC for a few months now so was inspired to buy some knit fabric. I’d always avoided knits but got up the courage after reading about the wonderful knit projects you gals demonstrate. And having a deadline certainly makes you dive right in, fearlessly! Thank you so much!
Have fun, Kathleen! Knits are really my favorite, they are quick to sew and so much more comfy to wear.