Robin sent me a link to this dress on Etsy, isn’t it marvelous?

It’s got such a great shape, not to mention the topstitching (I’m such a sucker for topstitching) and that little bow at the neck … very inspiring, don’t you think? I went trolling for patterns that have this same design feature — hard to do, even with the Vintage Pattern Wiki! (I have to do something about that … there’s no faceted search. Hmmph.)

This is my favorite, so far …

(I haven’t found too many copies of this pattern — but Sheila at OutOfTheAshes has one, and is running a sale, too! And speaking of sales, there’s one at Little Hunting Creek as well — buy three or more patterns, get 15% off. Use code LABORDAY through, well, Labor Day.)

I feel like this pattern might be a good candidate for some of my hoard of dotted swiss …

To wit: I am hungrily awaiting the arrival of this fabric:

That, my friends, is metallic silver seersucker. It’s very subtle, but it is definitely metallic. I also bought some light-gray seersucker, which was also described as having a metallic silver thread:

and I’m eyeing this dark-gray version, too:

And this is despite my long-held conviction that metallic fabrics ARE NOT FOR DAY. This opinion may mark me as the oldest living resident of Getoffamylawnville, but I think that metallic fabrics in the daytime are tacky. (There — I said it. Other things I think are tacky: visible dark bras under white tops; high heels with shorts; giant designer logos … the list goes on.)

Now, just because I think some things are tacky doesn’t mean I don’t love them to death … on other people. In fact, I should probably replace the word “tacky” with “not for me.” If you rock out in your short shorts with skyscraper heels and a black bra under your white tee, carrying a bag with huge initials on it that aren’t yours, I will probably say “Damn, she really owns that look.” (Which I may or may not follow up with “Bless her heart.”) But it’s not a look I think I can own.

But maybe this fabric is a way for me to um, rent-to-own metallics in the daytime? I have absolutely no idea what I will make with this fabric (other than another 9929, thank you). Or where I would wear it. It’s not suitable for a guest-at-a-wedding dress (too white); seersucker is too casual for most evening events (and I don’t go to many fancy evening parties). The only place where I think this might be appropriate is a restaurant with an outdoor patio, for a late-night summer dinner. With a silver lurex cardigan (or a white silk one) and flat silver sandals. Which is EXTREMELY SPECIFIC, for dress planning, isn’t it?

The white-and-silver version would also look good in this dress (which I did eventually find in my size), and would be ideal for a 1970s summer disco party. Which I’m invited to all the time, aren’t you?

Where do you fall on the burning question of metallics in the daytime? What should I make with this fabric, whenever it shows up?

So I made another 9929. I promise I will start putting up more pictures of these dresses — including one in lined black eyelet! I swear it takes me nearly as much time to blog about them as it does to make them — they are just THAT FAST.

Since the 9929 takes so little fabric, I have been having enormous fun rummaging through my stash for fabric that has always been just a little less than adequate for other projects. (Which rummaging means my sewing room looks even more like a still life entitled “Fifteen Minutes After The Bomb Disposal Unit Came Through”.) The pile of fabric waiting to be turned into 9929s is a little scary — who knew I was hoarding so many 2-2.5 yard pieces? Okay, maybe y’all did know.

I’m pretty sure I’ve had this fabric since Methuselah was a pup — does anyone remember when this pattern (I think it’s called Disco Dots) was the rage? I know that, at the height of its popularity, you could have dressed yourself, your house, your baby, and your dog in various colorways and weights of this design. This particular piece is actually terrible — it was subtly off-grain, which I didn’t realize until I was cutting the last piece. So I completely biffed matching the side seams (which — among other reasons — is why you’re not seeing a profile shot).

Accessorized here with red Keds and a red Swatch, but not red glasses — I think that would be maybe a bit too much coordination. Ideally I’d have a baby-blue belt to wear with this, but I haven’t found one I like yet. (Surprise: I’m also really picky about belts.)

Sorry for the dearth of posts — this is how I spent last week. (It was really, really fun.)

I love this so very, very much:

(The way it makes you look as if you only have one arm is way cool, isn’t it?)

Unfortunately, I don’t love this TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS much, which is what it’s currently going for at The Outnet. (Jebus, who spends two large on a dress you’re not getting married in? I do not understand. And that’s ON SALE!)

I love glow-in-the-dark stuff. I had a necklace-and-earrings set in junior high (that I used to wear at the movies) … I still have the necklace, although all the glow-juice has worn off. I currently have a glow-in-the-dark watch, although I never remember to wear it (and I go to fewer movies now, and it’s not so funny to glow in the movies now that everyone is glowing as they check their iPhones when the plots start to drag).

I’d love to find some glow-in-the-dark lining fabric to use under a black lace for a dress. In the daytime it would look just like a normal lining, and at night you would look like a city nightscape! Perfect. Sadly, it looks like glow in the dark fabric is really expensive. Anyone know of a better source?

Is it hot out where you are? I won’t incur the wrath of everyone east, north, and south of the Rockies by telling you how nice it is in the Bay Area. But if it’s hot where you are, you really need this dress:

Especially because it has these adorable pockets:

I’m not a huge fan of purple but I love the Easter colorway in this dress. Especially with that chartreuse-y green …

Click on the images to visit this dress at LuciteBox.com … Holly is having a sale to help replace her broken bike, use the code BIKE at checkout to get 25% off!

Wow! Thank you all so much for all the fantastic subtitle suggestions last week! I totally believe that “wisdom of crowds” thing now.

It was hard to choose, but here were my top three (I couldn’t choose just one!):

The Hundred Dresses; A Field Guide to Fashionable Frocks

(from Natalie)

The Hundred Dresses: What to wear for espionage, play dates, and everything in between

(from Joelle)

The Hundred Dresses; or Why You Need a Bigger Closet

(from Karen S.)

Would you three wonderful women please email me with your addresses so I can send you your prizes?

Of course, the book will probably only have one subtitle, and the choice is up to the publisher, but with so many excellent suggestions, something good has to stick!

And, for no apparent reason, here is a picture I took of a giant collection of Muppet fur this past weekend. Enjoy.