Purple dress

Last week JoAnn's had a sale on some of their solid fabrics, including their knits.  So I grabbed 3 yards of deep purple interlock knit, which has a smooth, luxurious finish.  To make myself a dress.
I used Simplicity pattern 3778 with just a few modifications: took up the shoulders, lowered the skirt.  The skirt might have been long enough, but I also shirred the waist, and I wasn't sure if that would raise the hemline.  So to be safe I added 4 inches when I cut out the dress.

Which made it a (very chic?) 4 inches below my knees.

The shoulders I took up about an inch after I had the yolk attached to the skirt, and the weight of the dress was pulling down the neck line.  When I tried it on before I attached the skirt, the neckline was fine.  So if I ever make this again, in the recommended fabric (woven instead of knit), I probably wouldn't mess with the neck.  And, I would have to include the zipper, which I didn't this time, so I had to mess with the pattern there, too.  Oh, and I added a button closure to the front of the yolk, since I'm nursing.

Maybe someday, I will just follow a pattern and not tweak it.  Hmm.

Shirring the waist was a great idea.  Dan saw it before I shirred the waist, and he made a comment about graduation gowns and possibly mu-mus.  Then I hid in the closet.  Until Tabitha did something cute.  So, not long.

I shirred the waist by using elastic thread for the bobbin.  I learned how to do that over at MADE.  I used a medium stitch length and regular tension, and it turned out great. My awesome Granny gave me some elastic thread a couple years ago, and I've used it a couple times now.

I wore it to church, and got some compliments on it.   Emily also liked it.  But then, she is always trying to get me to wear a dress.  That way we can both be princesses.