Polka Dot Overload - Simplicity 2642

Soooooo.........I wanted a new dress for a graduation celebration that I attended today.  I wanted it to be cute, simple and comforatble.  Allow me to present............Simplicity 2642!

had a great time!

I cut it out one day last week and began sewing on it about 8 o'clock last night.  Got most of it done except for the hem which I got up and finished this morning. 

rear view, love the slight flare

side shot, love this little "gather" detail on the sleeves

 I really like how the dress looks with the added ribbon.  I knew I wanted it to pop somehow.  It was between this and a black and white plaid ribbon.  I just decided to keep the polka dot theme going.  The ribbon is a bit stiff around the sleeve area.  Hoping that with a couple of washings it will loosen up.  

face front!

I wanted to add ribbon to the waist area as well however soon discovered that since this dress doesn't have any closures this type of ribbon would not work - not stretchy enough so I decided to leave it without.  This will allow me to play with different belts or none at all.   

okay......okay!

There are only three pattern pieces to this dress not including the elastic guides....okay 5.  The skirt is one piece cut on the fold three times.  Two connect to create a center back seam and the third acts as a front panel to connect front to the back.  Interesting concept.  I like it!

without the belt

The seam that attaches the skirt to the bodice also serves as the encasement for 1/4" elastic.  I did something a bit different with the ribbon embellishment.  It took me a minute to figure it out but eventually got it.  I'd seen it on a RTW dress that I recencly changed the hemline on.  There was a fabric band attached to the hem. There's probably a proper name for it but at this point, I'm not sure what it is.    I attached the ribbon right side to wrong side of the dress about 1/4" from hemline.  Pressed seam open, folded ribbon up onto the dress.  The ribbon is now wrong side to right side of dress - how it appears in the final stage.  I then stitched two rows of parallel stitches around the hem.  One close to the ribbon seam and the second near the top of the ribbon.  Love the finish it creates on the inside. 

inside bottom of dress - seam enclosed between dress and ribbon

sleeves finihed same as hem

Oh.......about that RED thread......
for Louboutin it's the "sole" of every shoe 
for GodsgirlT it's the "soul" of every garment

Until next time....BE BLESSED!