Remember this pattern?
Well, I had a couple spare hours last night (Sure, I was sorry that my husband and son were stuck in traffic, but I wasn't going to let that stop me from SEWING with that found time) and decided to give it a shot:
And this is as far as I got. Which is pretty far, except that I need to buy bias trim for the edging, and I'm undecided as to which color it should be.
Colors I have ruled out: red, black, brown, gray, green, and (gasp) orange.
Colors I'm still thinking about: mustardy yellow, turquoise, blue, pink.
I'm looking for a kind of Palm-Beach, Lilly Pulitzer vibe from this dress. What do y'all think?
Here's a better look at the belt part:
I haven't done the buttonholes or the buttons, obviously, because I want them to match the binding. I zigzagged a facing to the wrong side, to stiffen it a bit and keep the edges from fraying too much.
And the neck:
Anyway, as you can see, the dress is pretty "eh" without the bias edging. It did sew up really quickly, though, which was nice. The skirt will definitely flap as you walk, showing the wrong side (which on this fabric is nearly white) so I'm almost convinced that I should line the thing, which would then (bonus!) make it reversible. I might have enough turquoise cotton to do that, and then instead of bias binding I could do rick-rack in the seam …
I still have NO IDEA where the pockets will go. I think they will have to be patch pockets applied after the bias binding, so I can get the spacing right.
Ideas? Comments?
A Dress A Day 
Why not White?
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White gets too grimy (at least, it does if you’re me).
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I agree for no white. Personally it is a dirt magnet for me. My vote is turquoise. And what an adorable dress!
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no, no, patch pockets would ruin the line. how about on the seam of the overflap apron thing? they’d have to be smallish pockets – and it wouldn’t show if you lined it like you mention.pink or turquoise piping, for sure!
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I’m with simone on the pockets…just little things on the belt, like some of those funky ones you see on some vintage sewing patterns from the 1940s. I’m also for the turquoise too.
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Seconding turquoise or pink, to go with the tropical Lily vibe.
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Sometimes I don’t read clearly the first time. Somehow, I came to thinking YOU were in the car with husband and kidlet, frantically sewing by hand. Just because I embroider and sew on the bus to & from work, guess I thought everyone would do this…(and all I “sew” is quilt squares or doll clothes on the bus- not dresses- too bulky to carry around).
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I’d vote for bias trim in the light blue color in the “fans” on the print. The green would be too hard to match. For buttons it would be perfect if you find some with a combo of the blue and coral from the fan design.Good luck! 🙂
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Adding 3/4 sleeves might be a nice 5o’s touch. More coverage, too. variations are fun!
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I agree with either the turquoise or pink! It’s absolutely lovely so far.
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I think patch pockets would ruin the lines. I like the pockets in the side seam idea. What about just lining those flap pieces to the side seam? Much easier and it would finish the edges of the front piece. Turquoise would defintely give it the “Lily” loo.
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Speaking as a Lilly Pulitzer expert (I have over 100 vintage Lilly items, some dresses with their original price tag), and scores of vintage Lilly fabric, I’d go with lime green for the edging, or a bright pale pink. I know the lime green wouldn’t match the green, but it would be such a different shade, that it wouldn’t look like you’re trying to match. And Lilly isn’t so much tropical as bright pale colors. Typically pink and green are her signature colors, but also lime green and turquoise are another favorite grouping.
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Turqoise gets my vote. Love the fans!
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Turquoise! And please no patch pockets.
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The problem with pockets in the side seams is that there are no side seams. Just darts. I could do welt pockets, I guess …
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MUSTARDY YELLOW!OH GOD PLEASE DO MUSTARDY YELLOW!Also, I have also just discovered not but a few weeks ago when I found the cutest mustardy yellow cropped cardigan at Target (!) of all places, that it looks absolutely excellent with my Turquoise poplin rouched-waist dress.Therefore, I would have to recommend in good faith that you could then carry the mustardy yellow piping (or rick-a-rack) to the inside lining further increasing reversable glee.As you can tell, I have a thing for both mustardy yellow and turquoise, bordering on the unhealthy.
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Go with the pink. So feminine and lovely. You’re dress came out much better than the picture on the envelope. Much better than the other way around!Jennifer
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Turquoise piping, definitely!
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I think white would have been very Lilly P, but, my second choice in keeping with the Pulitzer spirit would be pink. This is some of your Liberty fabric, right? Me likey!
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My vote would be for the pink. (I have a need to make everything pink lately, though) I love the fan fabric!
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Turquoise for the “Pulitzer” look, but yea, I agree w/Kharma – I’d love to see the mustardy yellow. I wish I could wear mustardy yellow, because Kharma’s enthusiasm is swaying me from my undying love of turquoise (from sky bluey to greeny) with red. But yellow…so “Anthropologie”!
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If it were *me*, mustard yellow would be the choice. I always default to lime green, but that wouldn’t pop as much as yellow. The button could always be your second choice. The pattern (lovely!) is small enough to support two popping colors.So, are you secretly hoping for more traffic : )
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I assume the lining will be a solid color. Put patch pockets inside the sections that come around to the front, and trim them with the same as the binding. Then, when you wear it reversed, the pockets will show, and not when you wear it print side out. Or, you could match the pockets; they’ll nearly disappear and no one will notice.
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I love this dress and I’d pick turquoise, [but then I always pick turquoise]. When faced with dilemmas like this I get samples of each color and lay them on the fabric in the width I’d use and stand back and see what looks right. It might be that the dark blue or peachy pink look best. This is so cute already! p.s. I love the rickrack idea too and that would be true to the time period as well.
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I’d line the flaps and put the pockets on the inner part of the dress, so I could flip the flap open and use the pocket.
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I was going to say turquoise (nothing says “Palm Beach” like…) But Kharma is just so darned persuasive, that I’m going with mustardy yellow. I’m too exhausted from the excitement to even think about the other options. I’m sure your choices will be fabulous!
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Turquoise would bring out that color in the fans, and would definitely have the Palm Beach vibe you’re going for. I can’t wait to see the finished dress!
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I love how quickly the comments come in when you ask for opinions! We’re such an engaged bunch :-DOK, here’s mine… definitely line with turquoise but with the wrong sides together so you’ll still use the bias binding. I like the mustard yellow idea but not too dark. This fabric is so elegant that I think heavy contrast would take away from that. As for pockets? Well, Erin, you don’t strike me as the walk-around-with-your-hands-in-your-pockets type so I would make secret pockets. Patch pockets on the front panel just under the wrapped part. That way, when you go for your Burt’s Bees you’ll give everyone a little flash of turquoise! However, if you must put them on the outside, I say match the print up perfectly with the dress so they’re but a mere illusion. Please update soon.
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mustard!!!!
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Love the dress! are you positive you can’t carry a simple clutch for a day, maybe a wristlet so it is still attached to you? the dress is perfect the way it is!
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I love for yellow, too. Maybe a creamy, cool one, though. It’ll be a nice contrast to the turquoise lining. Turquoise binding and linking might be a little too matchy-matchy.
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i vote turquoise or pink. mostly, i love turquoise, but i think if you line it with turquoise, you should use the pink binding. i’m not a huge rick-rack fan. i can never get it consistent all the way around.i love the idea of secret pockets. definitely go with that.
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Definitely pink for the binding. It will have that sharp contrast that will make the dress memorable. Pink and green is a classic and perfect for your lilly-pulitzer-palm-beach vibe. For example, see the dress here:http://www.cottoninc.com/pressreleases/?articleID=337And the Lilly Pulitzer website colour scheme is pink & green after all.
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I vote for turquoise (with pink running a close second) and matching the pockets so they are nearly invisible.
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I’d go for a peachy pink.
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I think turquoise is winning with mustard yellow making a strong challenge from behind. I am going to throw my support behind the underdog! I think mustard yellow! I just think it would “work with” the fabric better — not insistently dragging the eye away, but blending into a vivid and harmonious whole. SO THAT’S MY VOTE.
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Wow! It’s way cuter made up than in the pattern drawing. I definitely see the Lily vibe you were going for. My first pick would be off-white for the binding…but since that’s off the table, I’ll have to agree with the mustardy yellow. Very 70’s kitchen, but in a good way. And the pockets must be invisible!
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I thought it would be fun to photoshophttp://home.comcast.net/~beckynbart/wrapdress.htmI like the turquoise myself
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Pick up the dark pink color in the fans for the trim. That will give it a tropical floral feel!
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I vote tiffany-box turquoise, though mustard is also nice and would let you wear it into the fall.
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Welt pocket, with the lip of the color of the chosen bias.
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That looks GREAT! This dress is actually much more elegant than I imagined! I know you’re against this, but I think you should keep the trim subtle green, because the fabric and cut are lovely on their own, and I just fear it’s going to turn kindergarten circus-y. Perhaps the lining can be turquoise, as you said, and with the green trim it will look perkier when you reverse it. Or you can make several…and leave this one the subtle version. I like the way it looks now. Verrrrrrry nice! (Needless to say, you’ll also need a headband that matches the trim to complete the country club look.)
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What about pockets in the belt. Have the pockets run horizontal thru the belt. Wouldn’t hold a lot though.
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Line it in turquoise and put white rick-rack in the seam!Little-known fact: while seam binding can be a dirt attractor, rick-rack is a dirt repeller.It’s true! I swear!(I think I’m a little too excited about this.)
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Just had to weigh in…I love the fabric!!!!I’d go with the blue…could you go nearly purple? I sincerely love the idea of high contrast…like the vibe from the pattern pic with the added advantage of adding interest to the reverse side in turquoise. I know; not so Lilly.Pockets…interesting…could the side dart be cut open to accommodate side seam pockets?
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Turquoise binding! I’m not sure about the lining colour, though, if you do line it. Maybe a slightly different turquiose than the binding? The fabric is really cute, I love fans!
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Please just forget the pockets! The pink would be beautiful.It is a very pretty dress! Love the fabic where did you get it?
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I was all for turquoise until I saw Becky W’s photoshop options–the yellow is by far the best in her renderings.I think rickrack would detract from the lovely fan shapes and cool elegance.Liz F from Brooklyn
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It looks so good, so far!I voted for pockets tucked away on the underskirt of the walk-away dress and I think the same for this dress.For the binding, I say go for pink! Not only would it pick up the little bit of pink in the print, but it would be the most flattering next to your skin.If you don’t want to line the whole dress, you could just do the skirt. I vote for pink there, too.
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Ok, I’m casting my vote for turquoise. It will just be too cute. As for the pockets, if it were *my* dress I would put small invisble pockets in the waist seam on either side of the belt. (if you line it, these will be even better–invisible from both sides!) But I am not (yet) in the Really-Big-Visible-pockets faction of the Vast Sewing Conspiracy; I’m a Stealth-Pockets kinda gal. (“Hah-hah! You thought because I wasn’t carrying a purse I was completely lost in the world and totally helpless! But you were wrong!”)
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