dress b from Happy Homemade Vol 2
March 27th, 2013
Today I am over at You & Mie for her series on Japanese Sewing Books. The series walks you through all the steps you need to know from Japanese pattern books. They can be a bit intimidating, but they also can be a lot of fun. My post is all about finding your pattern and tracing it. Sounds easy, but there are some tricks you need to know. Hop on over to Cherie’s lovely blog for my post, and all the guest posts this week!
In honor of Japanese Sewing Books week, I sewed up this sundress from my favorite Japanese sewing book, Happy Homemade Vol. 2. Well, to be honest, I dug up this dress that I sewed most of last spring, then hemmed it and added buttons (in honor of Japanese Sewing Books week). Why I sew 90% of something and then abandon it is beyond me.
But anyway, it’s done and (still) fits! I’m going to do a form style report on this one, because 3 days into spring break and the children have run me ragged already. My brain is not functioning at full capcity.
the fabric: oh, the fabric is lovely. It is 100% cotton shirting I got from the good fabric store in my neighborhood. They have a lot of beautiful fabrics, but mostly in ugly prints. This tiny blue stripe was perfect, though. It’s a good weight too, just right for when (if?) summer comes. I went with polka dot buttons because it’s stripes + polka dots up in here, all the time.
the pattern: the pattern is from Happy Homemade Vol. 2. I sew from this book a lot; I talk about it a lot too. I think it’s a great 1st Japanese sewing book. I’d love to do some sort of sew-along thing-a-bob with the patterns in the book. Anyone up for it? Maybe after KCW? Anyway, the pattern. The pattern was pretty simple, because, well the dress is pretty simple. I do remember the armholes being super fussy and weird.
the sewing: There was a little swearing, but there alway is, isn’t there? The fabric was dreamy. The striped bias tape turned out really nice, as did the bias cut bodice piece. I’d say not bad for a dress half done, abandoned, and (because it’s almost Easter, I’m just going to go for it and say…) resurrected. Ha!
Hi Meg,
Just read your post on Cherie’s blog. You are now my new sewing hero (loved that “tapping two pencils together” trick :-))
I’m up for the sew-along as well as KCW.
Thank you.
Carla
Shirting! I always run my hands all over it and never know what to do with it. Great dress.
Love all of your kids clothes- but whatever you sew for your daughter always makes me wish i had one in my size! What a great summer frock!
You’ve been sewing up a storm lately! Love the dress.
ooo, that is good! really good. I might have to snag that book, even though my girls pretty much hate wearing anything I make them, except underwear, they’ll wear those. Weird.
Love this dress! What a great idea to use shirting, and I love how you cut the bodice on the bias. I made the same pattern for my daughter and find it to be such a simple, lovely design. And I would definitely be up for a HH 2 sew-along – what a great idea!
I’ve been really interested in the Japanese Sewing Book series — I’ve always been curious, but a bit intimidated. But this dress looks so beautiful, comfortable, and classic that I might have to get over myself and get one. (Also — I am a big fan of the credenza as modelling spot. Is the artwork your own? It’s very pretty!)
I would love to participate in a sew a long with Happy Homemade vol 2! I am loving this series but feel nervous about starting a project from a Japanese sewing book that might be over my head, I am used to e-patterns that really hold my hand.
great post over at Cherie’s blog! this dress is great- i love shirting, and i love blue! makes me want this weather to hurry up and be SPRING already.
I really love the bias bodice.
Hi Meg,
Talking about seam allowance that you wrote at Cherie’s blog, I get used with Japanese patterns which have NO seam allowance, the same practice that I learned in my origin country, Indonesia. So when I used American patterns, I usually draw 1cm or 1.5cm (depends on size of seam allowance stated on pattern) lines on the inner side of pattern, after that I cut it. But now I will use your trick “tapping 2 pencils” to save my time! haha… thanks Meg!
Btw, I participate in your upcoming KCW series and I’ll use my Japanese patterns for sure :)
Very timely dress resurrection! Your guest post was superbly written. Congratulations. Great photos, the artwork is divine and the dress lovely. My kids would wear anything I made them if they could stand on the furniture to model it!
I’ve found Happy Homemade Vol2 to have the trickiest things yet, and it’s the only one I have that’s in English!
Anyone would have a great summer in a dress like that! It’s beautiful, and I bet it would look cool with a colorful long-sleeve t-shirt (homemade one?) for a chilly Wisconsin spring day.
I am all in for a HH sewalong! I bought the book months ago after reading your blog and have been SCARED to try anything!
Simple, adorable, perfect! And yes to the HHv2 sewalong thing-a-ma-bob!
This and the ruffle sleeve one are the two patterns from HHv2 that I always want to sew and never have. Even cut and started one once, but decided I didn’t like the fabric and abandoned it. So for god’s sake, please do a sewalong just to get me off my duff!
Also, I love her boots and your credenza and art. What lucky little stinkers our kids are, getting to dance on the furniture for the sake of a good blog photo ;)
oh goodness, such a cute dress! Love the pattern and the fabric. I love it when things as simple as this can be so very lovely.
What is the good fabric store in your neighborhood? might be worth a trip next time I’m in Madison. Love,love the dress.
It’s called Gayfeather Fabrics and it’s on Willy St. (1521 Williamson St, Madison, WI 53703).