knitwear!

so i needed (and i use the word "need" loosely here...) some sort of holiday... something. like a dress. i like to get inspiration perusing websites whose clothes are um... out of my budget at the moment (or ever unless our lives change dramatically). one of my favorites is of course, anthropology. sigh... pretty things... also, since i recently acquired a serger i've been dying to do something in knit. i came across this dress and thought it would be perfect to replicate for inspiration!

source

it has a fitted bodice and pleated skirt (i love pleats!!!) and being knit, it's very "toting-the-kids-around" friendly. i went with a midweight cotton interlock knit in purple. i do love the texture the anthropology dress has but i couldn't find anything similar i thought would work. i bought 2 yards of material and immediately learned lesson #1 in knitwear: buy more yardage than you think you'll need! when they say buy extra to account for shrinkage it is not a joke. i lost over 10" in length so it was a squeeze! fortunately the wide width of the fabric saved my behind. i had wanted to add elbow length sleeves but that idea was immediately scrapped.

ooohh... it's even organic. just doin' my part.

being my first knit anything naturally i skipped the pattern buying step and just traced off a t-shirt from closet. i know it was risky, but knits are forgiving, right? and i have a skirt pattern from a dress that worked for the bottom half.

i had planned to line the dress with a stretchy tricot lining material. but apparently i got a tricot that doesn't stretch? i was bummed about this, thus imparting lesson #2 in knitwear: do more research to figure out appropriate lining materials! (or maybe don't rely on the online fabric store's description). since my original lining didn't pan out i decided to self-line the bodice. and in retrospect this worked out really well. had this been in my original plan, i could (and would) have used a lighter weight knit. but, since it is fall/winter the extra warmth will definitely be welcome!


oh, and on the tuesday before thanksgiving i decided that i absolutely needed to have it done to wear on thanksgiving. after all, why make a dress for the holidays and then miss out on the first holiday of the season? with dinner guests coming no less!! someday i'll learn to take my time and enjoy the process.


oh, who am i kidding...