Monday 17 August 2015

Sarvi's Dress

Is there anything nicer than Nani Iro fabric? No, you say...

Well there is just one thing nicer. It's Nani Iro fabric that is gifted to you!


A little while ago Sarvi and I hunted down some out of print patterns for each other. When Sarvi sent me mine she included a shirt (seen here) and a dress that she'd cut out and not got around to sewing before her daughter had outgrown them.

While the shirt was a mystery pattern, I was on familiar ground with the dress as it's the School Photo Dress by Oliver + S.


I've made the dress twice before and had the instructions to hand as well, so the sewing was smooth sailing from start to finish. One note to make, the instructions talk about finishing seams allowances at the beginning if you're using a serger. You should take that to mean; Finish all the skirt seam allowances before you start construction no matter how you want to finish them.  It just makes thing so much easier.


This is the View B with the ruffle collar and 3/4 length sleeves in straight size 4. But this time without the pocket (not enough fabric perhaps?).

The Nani Iro brushed cotton is gorgeously soft. Should I ever win the lottery I would have someone make me pyjamas out of this stuff. It's divine. The collar and cuffs are a lightweight shot cotton and the dress is then lined with a pale pink cotton voile. All perfectly cut out for me to sew!


After sewing quite a few invisible zippers with my regular zipper foot, I did buy an invisible zipper foot last year. That combined with the trick of ironing the zipper open results in a pretty darn good invisible zipper if I do say so myself.

I made this dress just before making the purple ruffle-y jewelled thing, so I'm afraid it's been passed over a bit. Hopefully she'll find it suitable for a few summer parties before it's outgrown. It was too lovely not to sew up and put to use. Thanks Sarvi!


13 comments:

  1. Absolutely stunning! I love this fabric. {Awesome choice, Sarvi!} Also, I have had trouble with that kangaroo pocket. If she would be prone to pull on it (put her hands inside the pocket and push forward or down) the pocket rips at the point where it joins the dress. Liesl has you tack those points down with bartacks, but it's not enough depending on how much pulling she might do. I had to mend Indigo's corduroy school photo dress 2 or 3 times and ultimately it became unmendable. :( And you nailed that zipper!

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    1. I got lucky with being gifted that fabric I know!
      I see what you mean about the pocket but I wonder if the corduroy might have contributed to the problem. I recall one or two things I've made in corduroy that gave way at seams more readily than other fabrics would have. My first one of these was almost upholstery weight and held up fine. The other one I made is a size 5 so hasn't had much wear yet but is a velour and I suspect it could be a "weak" fabric. I'll watch those corners closely!

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  2. Oh it's so sweet! And true, there's something about nani IRO that elevates it above all other fabrics. Lovely stuff.

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    1. Thanks Kristin. I bought some for me recently and still need to decide for certain what to do with it. But it WILL happen!

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  3. She looks completely darling in it! I'm so thrilled this dress didn't go to waste.

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    1. Thanks Sarvi. thank you so much for including it with the pattern. I really enjoyed seeing it come together and I appreciated that you'd cut the sleeves evenly with regard to the pattern. I notice things like that and you didn't disappoint!

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  4. Love it!
    If no one else claims it.......

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  5. That fabric! Yummmm! It's great you finished the dress, it looks stunning. A few weeks ago I popped into Tessutti fabrics in Melb meaning to indulge in Nani Iro.I couldn't think what I wanted the make with it as I was resembling a whale then and didn't buy any. Yes, I am still kicking myself for being so silly 😆

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    1. Oh why do I always find myself with free time to shop for jeans, or underwear, or whatever I really need on those "whale days". At least you've popped your little whale calf out now and that fabric could have waited for you. Next time, hey.

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  6. Such a pretty dress and the colours are so lovely.

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    1. THanks, I love that blue/green, and on the spectrum of pink colours, this is way down the "more than tolerable, actually quite nice" end. Sometimes one person's unfinished project is another person's treasure.

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