Dressy Interview with Quirky Peach

Hello Bloggy Friends! 

Oh my! July has been a whirlwind of work and fun and craziness! I'm happily exhausted most of the time. I do have some more dressy interviews for you and I thought it was about time to get another one up. I apologize for my tardiness and hope you enjoy this interview with one of my favorite happy bloggers!

Hi! My name is Sally and I blog over at The Quirky Peach. First of all I would like to say THANK YOU to Emily for letting me ramble a little about dresses and sewing on her blog! I hope you know what you got yourself into ;)

How long have you been sewing? 

About three and a half years. On Christmas of 2010, I got a sewing machine from my mom and dad. I had sewn a bit growing up, but that Christmas was when it all really started.

Do you have a fabric stash?

Yes! I try to keep it to a manageable size, but it's hard! I am a lot better now at only buying fabrics I really love, not just what's on sale, and having a project in mind before purchasing. However, I just about doubled my stash with a crazy thrift find on craigslist - three industrial size garbage bags of fabric for $5 - can't beat that!

What was the first dress you made?

A black and white checked cotton sun dress - Lisette for Simplicity 2209 - still one of my favorites :) Convinced me that sewing my own clothes was an achievable and awesome thing!

What was the most challenging dress you have sewn? Why?

I think it would have to be my vintage 1940's dress. The bound button holes and other vintage details were fun to do, but time consuming. However, I think the most challenging thing about it was knowing I would never wear it once it was finished, except to take pictures for the blog post. I learned a lesson and have never done that again - if I know I'm not going to like something I'm sewing, I usually don't waste time finishing it. I would rather make something I know I will love.

What is your favorite dress to wear? Why?

My favorite dress to wear - AUGH! Such a hard question! I guess it really depends on the mood:

Casual - Ikat Hi Lo Dress - I lived in this dress last summer, and probably will again - it is so soft (rayon challis) and comfortable, and of course has pockets!

Dressy / Cute - Floral Belladone - I just made this one last month and wore it for almost every special occasion - Mother's Day, graduations, church, concerts, dinner, etc! It is so flattering, doesn't wrinkle and has pockets, but the print is my favorite thing about it.

Glamorous - Watercolor Anna Maxi - I feel like a princess every time I put this on!

Any particular style of dress you really like?

I am definitely a fit and flare type gal. Anything with a fitted waist that skims over the hips and I'm sold! Not such a fan of tight fitting dresses, slim/straight skirts, shift dresses or wrap dresses, but they look amazing on other women ;)

Why do you think dresses have such long lasting appeal?

There is so much variety in dress styles, any girl can find a style she loves. They are a great expression of personal style and are easy to wear - no trying to match this top with this bottom!

Why do you personally love dresses?

I love the feeling of a swooshing skirt as you walk. Always makes me feel feminine and put together. And honestly, most dresses I have made and love to wear are in my favorite prints and colors, super comfortable, and have pockets - what more could a girl ask for? ;)

(You can see all my me-made dresses at My Handmade Closet)

Handmade Jane Dresses

Hello Stashbusters!
  Since I'm buried in the mountains of Montana this summer, I'm not making any dresses this month. Never fear! I've got several ladies from around the blogosphere who are sharing their thoughts on dresses and giving you loads of amazing inspiration! We're going to start off with the lovely Jane from Handmade Jane. I hope you enjoy her slightly vintage perspective!

How long have you been sewing? 

Almost five years. I took a dressmaking class in 2009 when my youngest started school and was hooked from the very first lesson!

Do you have a fabric stash?

Yes and believe it or not, it's actually pretty manageable. For dressmaking I have one large box of main fabrics, plus a box of lining fabric, a box of gingham and polka dots and a box of heavier weight fabrics such as denim and knits. I'm quite careful when buying fabric - I never buy more than I need and I usually have a good idea of how I'm going to use it. Although this can often change if a new pattern comes along and sweeps me off my feet!

What was the first dress you made? 

It was McCall's 2401, a classic fitted shift dress and very easy to make. Sadly, I never wore it as it always looked a bit office-like for everyday wear. The fabric was also wrong for the dress: it was a coral coloured Liberty quilting cotton, which didn’t suit me and was far too thin. Making that dress taught me a lot about choosing the right fabric!

What was the most challenging dress you have sewn? Why?

I’d have to say my Colette Patterns Oolong dress, which I made for my brother’s wedding in 2011. It’s all cut on the bias, so the entire dress and lining had to be cut from a single layer i.e. not on the fold, which took forever. The silk lining I chose was just too difficult to work with (silk??? what was I thinking?!) so I ended up underlining it instead with thin cotton muslin. Sewing with bias cut fabric was very challenging, especially for a relative beginner as I was then, but I got some great tips from my readers, which really helped. It turned out beautifully in the end and is now one of my favourite dresses.

What is your favorite dress to wear? Why?

The style was a little out of my comfort zone, but in terms of feeling fabulous, my By Hand London Georgia dress is a favourite dress to wear. It’s incredibly flattering and I get so many compliments when I wear it! The stretch pique fabric means it’s comfortable to wear too.

Why do you think dresses have such long lasting appeal?

Wearing a dress means your entire outfit is sorted in one fell swoop, so I think practicality is definitely part of the appeal. I also think however plain and simple the design of a dress is, wearing one always makes you feel a bit more chic and dressed up.

Why do you personally love dresses? 

Both of the reasons above - I’m totally lazy, so an outfit in one go will always appeal! I also think dresses are indisputably feminine and wearing them makes me feel pretty – it’s as simple as that! 

Do you have a particular style of dress you like?

My favourite style of dress is the shirt dress. They’re simple and cute yet still manage to carry off a vintage edge. I love that fact that they’re so easy to wear too – just do up a few buttons and you’re good to go. I have one made from simple cotton, one in a fancier Liberty lawn and one in denim!

Wow, Thank you Jane! Aren't those some fabulous pieces! Makes me want to go whip up a couple now! I think she does such a nice job of making vintage wearable today. Do you like sewing vintage looks?

July Stashbusting: Theme & Challenge

Hello Stashbusters!

July is all about the pretties, the fluff, the fun, the DRESSES!!! The reason so many of us learned to sew and continue to sew. This is the month to pull the fun from the stash and create something nice.

It's not all fun and games though, we still have our Curating challenge! I'm not about to let you off while I'm galavanting around the mountains chasing kids. Just because I'm not tethered to my sewing machine means you get time off! :)
July's Curating Challenge is focusing on our pattern stash. So many dresses are statement pieces and those patterns we'll only make once. Or we have that ONE pattern to rule them all that adapts for any and ever situation. Or how about those duplicates? I find myself gravitating to the same styles over and over again. How many poofy 50's dress patterns does one girl need? ;)
Go through your stash and get rid of those patterns you know you'll never sew again. Find that one pattern you've been wanting to make forever and finally whip it up. Let's prune the dead wood so our favorites can flourish!

It's up to you! What dress pattern do you want to sew up this month?