4.08.2011

i, chi, GO girl!

i ♥ ichigogirl. good moniker to cheer! she's been away. i wish she'd come back. i, chi, YO girl, where you at?


i've made her cowl dress from her free pattern at burdastyle seven times, yet the only one surviving is this red number i've just finished. the others were horribly mutilated in various frenzied occurrences of "oh my god i need a solid top all i have is this dress i'll just cut it in half oops too short 'kay then bye." repeat three times. also two occurrences of "oh my god we're moving AGAIN i can't pack another thing what's in that box i think it's goodwill 'kay then bye."


i highly recommend this pattern if you haven't tried it yet-- it's a size 36 but since it's stretch jersey you can go up or down a bit. actually, a lot-- i've found that placing it however many cms you like away from the fold also sizes it up nicely. YOU WILL LOVE MAKING THIS DRESS. if you've got an hour or two you've got a dress. no serger? zig zag it. the instructions are beautiful and she even gives you notches, ahem, unlike some patterns i will not mention.

(unmentioned pattern is lurking behind me on miss fugly. i will finish it today come hell or high water.)


for the cowl neck, i extended the very top of the pattern by about four inches, made lines with my serger until it once again equaled the measurement of the original pattern, and then folded the cowl to the outside (instead of the inside as the original pattern). 

i was pretty freaking proud of myself on that part. haughty, even, one might say...


i also extended this to a tea length-ish.  i'm digging this length, it's much more wearable than le micro mini. and que stylish. if i do say so myself. don't tell me if it's not.


is it tea length, like tea? or T? and why? i know i could look it up on the interwebz, but i'd much rather hear an answer from one of you lovely peeps...

16 comments:

  1. I don't know why it is called tea length but I always assumed it was because you're going to an old fashion tea party! I've also heard it called ballet length, but I'd wager that they are slightly different.
    A degree inhistorical costuming and that's the best I can give you ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think, and this is only think mind you- not at all sure, that it's because that length is appropriate for an afternoon, casual event (tea) but not for an evening soiree which would require a longer gown. (Back in the day, that is).

    LOVE that color red on you. It's gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I adore this dress on you! The length is perfect, and so is the color. I am possibly lusting after your shoes because they are FABULOUS. Total fashionista outfit!

    ReplyDelete
  4. That dress is fantastic, looks great on you!

    I've never checked out ichigogirl's blog, I'll have to pay a visit. Even if she's been away, it will all be new to me. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. ✔ lisette: that's hilarious.

    ✔ meg of needles: i wonder how audrey hepburn got away with it? she could get away with anything, tho.

    ✔ meg of grand-ness: thanks! the shoes were 1o bucks at daffys. i couldn't not buy them. i also cannot walk in them.

    ✔ ashley: thanks! and maybe if enough peeps visit she'll come back...

    ✔ lilly: merci beaucoup!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm going to have to make this soon. Looks great on you :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. super-friggin-cool. especially that cowl treatment. that is really really super-friggin-cool.

    oops, no wait.

    "It's quite adequate, dear."



    I'm being, you know, aloof and whatnot. Since you totally think you're going to out answer me on my own questions and all. WhatEVer.

    (I agree that "tea" length was appropriate for afternoon events, but not for evening events, when skirts got shortened in the 1910's)


    word verification: "movega"... that's... a dance from the 70's? something vegetarians eat (like vegemite)? just fun to says ("movega ega ega ega!... movega ega ega!)? I have no idea, but I LOVE it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. my non-official guess is that tea length was just that--tea-time dress and more casual than dinner dress? my wedding dress was called a "tea or day dress" from about 1910 and it was just that length. the woman who sold it to me said it was worn in the afternoons. ...anyway, oh my, that is gorgeous on you. I need to make this too! And then I'll have something to go with those crazy leopard pumps that I also couldn't not buy but cannot walk in. Blisters!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nom nom nom! I made a top from this pattern once (and almost a second time, I should've gone for it instead of experimenting and ending up in waddersville).

    Great, now I want to make a red knit cowl dress. Cuz that's exactly what I need. And no way my serger could pull off a nifty visible feature like that, either. Yeesh. :D

    ReplyDelete
  10. ⇧ ⇧ ⇧ ⇧ ⇧ ⇧

    thanks ladies! (lorena; you can make this in your sleep, i tell you... amy: oh leopard pumps, please share... tanit-isis: i think you know what you must do... beangirl: THBPPT.)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Very nice dress- the colour is, well, it's YOUR colour and I'm loving the cowl neck.
    Although, I do see nothing wrong with the shorter length from your other post but I see the suitability and practicality of the tea length.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yes, the dress is fabulous, but the SHOES! I need the SHOES!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Very pretty dress, I love the cowl neck! (What do you mean by making lines with the serger...?)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love love love this dress!!! Infact I'm wearing my green version right now....mini length though with leggings and ballet pumps!
    The red is amazing and the tea dress length is just perfect!! (as is the shoes!!!)
    I feel the house work might get ditched today in favour for a quick dress making session! lol

    ReplyDelete
  15. ☛ don: thank you-- you know, that mini dress was inspired by none other than you?

    ☛ beth: they are SO uncomfortable! but too fabulous! and haven't i heard, ahem, you have SEVENTY PAIR?

    ☛ alessa: well, i'm probably explaining it wrong, but i elongated the cowl neck by about 5 inches, then folded it at about every inch or so, and serged it together-- almost like creating pintucks with a serger. then when the fabric measured the original pattern, i continued as instructed-- only i folded the neck to the outside so you could see the lines of stitching.

    ☛ kaja: isn't it so comfortable?? i hope you've screwed the chores & made another!

    ReplyDelete

i thankya truly for taking the time to comment, i love a good conversation-- and hope you know my thanks are always implied, if not always written!