Pattern: Self drafted
Fabric: Unknown jersey from the free bin at school
Notions: None
Time To Complete: After drafting, 20 minutes
Notes:
As much as I love the look of a maxi dress or skirt, I’ve never considered wearing one. At 5’1, it’s not only been impossible to find one in stores that would fit me but it’s also been in grained in me that they are only flattering on taller beauties. So when I teamed up with Ina, from SkyTurtle, to make an item we wouldn’t normally wear, I knew a maxi dress was mine! In case you missed my inspiration, I was after a sleeveless knit max with a scoop neck, razor back, and flare at the hip. I wanted something form fitting but still casual. Although I chose to self draft my dress, Jamie Christina’s Mission Maxi Dress Pattern would have been the ticket.
While at school one day working on my maxi dress draft, I spied this grey blue jersey in the free bin. It was a much more appropriate weight than the knit fabric I had brought for my muslin so I chose to use it instead. Knowing that I had ordered some fabric online especially for this project, I didn’t give much thought to testing out new methods of binding necklines and armholes on the muslin.
The following week, my fabric arrived and I was so excited. I ordered two different options from Gorgeous Fabrics: a shimmery chevron and a bold swirl. I figured between the two there would be an appropriate option but I was sorely disappointed. The shimmery chevron, to put it lightly, is tacky. From the pictures you have no idea just how shimmery we’re talking but it’s not the sort of thing that day dresses are made of. The bold swirl could work but I didn’t like the way the poly/lycra clung rather than skimmed the body. In all fairness, they are really lovely textiles but I couldn’t bring myself to cut into them when I knew they weren’t what I was after.
At the eleventh hour, I decided to salvage my maxi dress muslin. I sliced it off at the waist and made a double fold waistband. While it’s not a complete failure I wouldn’t call it a success. It’s nothing like the gorgeous skirt Ina made! My main complaint is that it just doesn’t go in my wardrobe. I had an awful time putting an outfit together and it seemed like every idea I had my closet couldn’t provide. I actually think this could look quite nice with a thin white tank top but amazingly I don’t own one! Instead, I settled for this white shirt I made last fall. It works but I do feel like I have a lot of fabric on.
For the pictures I had this lovely idea of a wind swept beach background. The reality versus fantasy when taking photos still cracks me up. I imagined myself as a sea goddess thrown amongst barnacle festooned rocks. A graceful Venus arriving at the shore…
In actuality, a day at the beach looks a bit more like this:
The skirt is a simple design to showcase the linear pattern. I cut two rectangles and then pleated them for added volume. The waistband is cut straight with a petersham ribbon on the inside – a technique I learned from Lynda Maynard. It makes the most comfortable straight waistbands! You can give it a try with 
