I made a dress...

... or two! Today I'd like to tell you about two variations on a Japanese pattern from the second Stylish Dress Book. The design is M, it's a short-sleeved babydoll dress with daisy embroidery and rik rak around the neckline:


How cute, right? I love that dress as it is and I will probably make it one day but first I wanted to try it a little differently :)
For the first version I used some striped rayon -talk about stash busting! I bought it in francs- and purple cotton. When I was younger I used to be a bit (a lot) of an anime geek and black and white striped garments with dashes of bright red, pink or purple are quite the rage in some of these, so I had always wanted to make something in this spirit. Well I'm happy to report that the result doesn't look too costume-y to be worn^^:




I cut a size 9 but I lowered the bust darts by 1" and lengthened the bodice by 1" too. I cut the back in one piece to avoid extra volume -it's a habit when I sew with Japanese patterns unless I want to end up with a parachute- and I added the tie to give the dress a little shape. It's very comfy, the fabric stays cool despite the current high temperatures and I even have enough room for my large back, shoulders and arms.
That's why I'm a bit disappointed that the other dress I made with the exact same changes and even an extra inch in the sleeves turned out a little tight to say the least^^. I used red poplin and I could finally start to bust my velvet ribbon stash with it! It doesn't look bad but I have a hard time moving my arms in it:

You can't see them but there are two velvet ties at the bodice's sides.

I guess a stiffer fabric will make a difference! I'm going to try and wear it to the restaurant tonight -I hope yummy Chinese food won't go into my arms first- because at least there's plenty of room for my belly^^ Have a nice week, see you!