I am excited to have finished this shirtdress made of 100% cotton dark wash chambray so that I can wear it for the Fall and beyond.

Chambray shirtdress with 1/2 front placket and button tabbed sleeves

I really like the ease of wearing denim as well as the comfort of a dress, so this light weight denim a.k.a. chambray is a perfect combination.

back of shirtdress

I plan to wear this dress with a belt, boots & tights, maybe a scarf or fun jewelry, or even flat or strappy sandals for spring.

Here are some images that I pinned on my Pinterest board Sew Love-Dresses

I used McCalls  6885 (also labeled as MP345) to make this dress. It was a fairly easy dress to make, it just took time to cut out and mark the pattern carefully, to top stitch most of the seams as straight as I could, and make the major seams into flat felled seams which took time. I could have taken shortcuts and just serged most of the seams, but I didn’t want to do that. Instead, I made the side, shoulder and sleeve seams flat felled seams to prevent fraying and give a nice, finished look, and finished the armhole sleeve using my serger.

The pattern envelope certainly does not indicate that this is a cute, fashionable dress pattern to make by using an ugly floral printed fabric, the shapeless styling and the dorky matching old-lady hat:

Pattern envelope cover

I feel bad for the cute, young model who had to sport this look. Definitely not her best day in front of the camera thanks to this outfit.

Thank goodness the illustration for view D saved the pattern from being a complete frumpy disaster and gave some life and hope for this pattern:

McCalls 6885 view D

Hence, view D is what I went with, accept that I made the hem of the dress straight, as in view C of the pattern, and I chose not to make the matching, attached tie belt as I knew I would want to wear one of my own belts with this dress.

In my new shirtdress

Back of dress

Worn with a Banana Republic leather belt and scarf and Sorel boots.

I am very pleased with my new casual dress and will wear it often! I might even make this up again in other colors and fabrics.

Yay for sewing! How I love you so!

This top incorporates a few of my favorite things in this world: silk, wine and pretty clothes.

I sewed up this top on Saturday morning into the afternoon to wear out to the fashion show at the tents of FashioNXT in Portland. Here I am with my good friend, Deborah, and also Anne, enjoying the evening of fashion and beauty:

I wanted to wear something that I have made to this event, as I usually do like to do, but ran out of time to make a cool dress or other outfit. Even when I say to myself, “OK, next fashion show, a year from now, I want to wear something really great that I designed and sewed.” But I never seem to have the time to make something really awesome and unique. After all, this annual show features emerging and established fashion designers, including Project Runway winners and contestants.

I had this beautiful red wine colored silk charmeuse yardage in my stash, plus have made this top pattern a few times now, so I knew it would be a fast and easy, yet a beautiful and elegant, project to make.

I used McCalls 6563 pattern, modifying it by using the drape neck top of view D and the bottom and shaped hem of view A or C. I actually lower the back of the hem a tad to add a little extra coverage in the back side. So, side I changed this pattern more than 50%, can I call it my own? I kind of think YES!!!

I need to make more of this pattern, and in multiple sizes, fabrications and colors and prints. SOLD!!! I’d even like to drape this into a halter top version of this cowl neck, OOOHHHH! Pretty 🙂

It took about 4 hours to make, including cutting out on the bias grain, making French seams, hemming the armhole and hem with a narrow hem, and pressing the seams carefully. I skipped hemming the inside of the cowl for the sake of time.

I always love a cowl neck too, so pretty and flattering. Here are some inspiration photos of similar tops I have pinned on my Pinterest board about tops:

So, for a quick and easy project, I am pleased with the results and want to make more of these silk beauties, in as many colors as possible:

Carry on….