Well, I know I haven't posted much about it lately, but I'm still mulling over Duro and Duro-ish dresses. I'm on the hunt for more interesting fabric and color combinations … but while I'm looking, you all should know that Hotpatterns has a new killer wrap dress! (Thanks to Jonquil for the link, click on the image to visit the Hotpatterns site.)
It's for silk (and similar) jerseys, which I've never sewn with before … I understand silk jersey is a dream to wear, but how is it to SEW with? Seems as if it would be slippery to me.
Oh, in other Duro news, reader Lucette has asked that if you've made a Duro and have pics, you upload them to Flickr (tagged "Duro") as inspiration for others — I think that's a great idea!
Also, if you've ever wanted to send me links, etc., but don't want to email me, feel free to use the tag "dressaday" on Flickr, del.icio.us, twitter, etc. I'll set up feeds and see whatever you tag. This year is all about moving the non-urgent stuff out of the inbox, and into the feedreader where it belongs. (If this paragraph made no sense to you, leave a comment and maybe I'll try to explain …)
A Dress A Day 
Erin, you can always use your handy-dandy can of Sullivan’s Fabric Stabilizer to tame any slippery fabric.
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I just added my 2007 spring Duro dress to the flickr album here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/pickingdaisy/2184817401/in/set-72157603692643103/
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If anyone’s looking for silk jersey, I just got a batch of samples from Thai Silks that are delicious. It’s not something you see all that often, but looks glorious (if maybe clingy) to wear. A silky lining may be called for to make it skim the body instead of stick.
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Question to ‘the sewist’ — does fabric stabilizer work on silk? I’ve seen the wash-off kind, but is there one you can use on non washable fabrics? Never thought to use it before, but will be going to my local craft store to find out if they have some. Thank you for the tip!
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Oh oh oh! Why have I not stumbled across HotPatterns yet? Has anyone sewed from them? Comments? Thanks for turning me on to them, Erin.
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I ordered this pattern yesterday. Even though I have a sign right in front of me by the computer that says “NO new projects”. I have projects that would take me into the next century. I too am not over the duro, and might never be!Mary Fran
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Mmmm. I love this variant–especially the princess seamed bodice. A vast improvement over the rather blousy version in most patterns. And with that band around the neckline, it’s easy enough to make it a little less gaping. Also: Those Shoes! I love T-straps.
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Ah someone beat me to it – I want the shoes in the illustration…
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Perhaps durodress or duro_dress might make a better tag? A cursory test of “duro” by itself reveals an extensive tour of a certain canyon in the panhandle of Texas.
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no, erin that last paragraph didn’t make sense to me… luddite that i am. also i can’t make sense of the wiki,( i tried to find some old issey miyake patterns and couldn’t see a way to get to them other than going through every one)i do enjoy your blog enormously though, and have sent the address to a lot of my friends! lately i especially have loved the research on the photo in the church..thanks for everything!!nance in portland
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That dress is beautiful! Very “House of Elliot.” Have you seen it Erin? It’s a wonderful costume series!!!Amelia
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There are many Duros (photos and reviews) posted on patternreview.com You’ll need to know the pattern numbers to find them. Or a tag search on Duro brings up a few.
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Oooooo. Pret-ty. :OAnd House of Elliot is a must-see! The hairstyles alone were a smash hit. People would go in to hairdressers and say “well, have you seen the House of Elliot?” and the hairdresser would go “the blonde one or the brunette?”…
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I don’t find knits that difficult to sew, even without an overlocker. Then again, my Janome has several knit-stitch options. But I wouldn’t do your first knit-dress project with silk jersey. Try a less expensive knit like viscose or a rayon blend first. Thanks so much for this pattern! I was just thinking to myself, “Grumble grumble…bought dress length of gorgeous heavy viscose knit today…wants to be a fairly plain below-knee dress for winter…stupid pattern web sites…maybe Dress a Day can help?” And you did!
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This is so neat just yesterday I was thinking, ‘Oh, I miss the Duros so much from Erin’s site, and I still love Duros, and some people think they’re pass now, and I don’t care, I still love them!’And today, here you are, Erin, posting this great new Duro-ish dress from HotPatterns, and saying that you still love Duros, and here are all these other people on your blog commenting that they still love them!
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To Sara Jane, have a look at http://www.patternreview.com for reviews on Hot Patterns, plenty there.
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Actually it looks very ‘kimono’ to me, with that wrap front and trim down the front edge to the hem–even an obi sash, so I think you’re safe to wear it in presence of the ‘dura passe’ crowd.btw: if you double that slinky silk jersey in the bodice area, you can sew it much more easily (don’t forget the ball point needle tho)
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I watched the “Joy of Lex” late last night on TV and became all excited when I recognized that it was you on the screen when I saw you wearing a Duro!Elizabeth
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How kind of you, Erin, to offer to explain the last paragraph!! I am semi-literate in blogese and am an eager learner, but can’t find out WHERE The Directions are. So please, do explain.
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What are the chances? I’ve been awol from this blog for months and the moment I decide to tune back in, there’s a DURO post. If that isn’t a sign from above that I should go back to reading ADAD regularly, I don’t know what is!
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More than a duro, this dress seems to be a “Kara”, as in Kara Janx, one of the near-finalists in “Project Runway” a couple years ago. Remember that kimono-y dress she put together? I think this is pretty close to being a knock off of that. But with better sleeves, and princess seaming that lends itself to easy bust alteration. So it’s a knock off I completely support! Thanks for letting us know about it, Erin!
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This looks like maybe a winner, with those princess seams, and the ease of changing the neckline by widening the trim. Is the trim a straight piece, as it is in a kimono jacket? If so, then very easy to change; I’ve recently done it on a wrap top and got a very oriental effect.That 1/4 circle wrap-skirt might be also pretty easy to change to a half-circle, just by doubling the pattern piece. Either make it an inch or two longer, by drawing the waist higher into the cutout to keep the same circumference, or gather the new doubled waist down to the size of the bodice. That would create a more forgiving cut that would be easier to wear for those of us who are no longer as slender as we used to be. And with that change, I don’t see why it couldn’t be made in more substantial fabrics – wool jersey maybe?Mina W
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