The deadline for the Challenge is March 12th. I am pretty sure I have known about this since before Christmas, but I have procrastinated yet again. Damn! This contest is being offered through Burdastyle. The idea of the challenge is to take a pattern by Indygo Junction/Amy Barickman and change it – make it your own. So this is the pattern that I chose. The Indygo Junction Day to Night Dress. It boasts simple clean lines with a zipper down the front. You could sew the dress and opt for a belt that has a button or a tie that attaches in the back of the dress.
My idea was to take the original pattern and keep the princess seams for the bodice, eliminating the sleeves, but add a couple of fun new features.
My fabric of choice? Cotton of course! It is the summer stand-by, and I had decided to do a nod to the 50′s and make a “playsuit”. This particular cotton fabric design is done by DS Quilts and is called Daisy Mae.
Pictured below are some examples of playsuits. I am certainly NOT as curvy as these bombshells, but you can probably get the idea from the illustrations that a playsuit optimizes versatility, and is a sort of different rendition of the “Day into Night Dress.”
“Please Don’t Eat The Daisies” is one of my favorite movies starring one of my favorite actresses, Doris Day. Doris is also one of my fashion icons. It’s a comedy portraying Doris as a mom of four sons. I recommend the movie, but I don’t recommend stealing any of her parenting strategies (she actually puts one of her sons in a cage from time to time!) Honestly the thought has occurred to me before on some of those really hard days, but I’d never really do it!
Doris is just so darn cute!
These photos show my interpretation of a playsuit. A removable skirt, that buttons on and off of a romper underneath.
My skirt is made extra perky by adding horsehair braid in the hem and I have finished it off by lining the hem with a turquoise gingham that also covers my buttons.
Here you see the underside of the skirt in the left photo and the outer side of the circle skirt with the embroidery floss detail stitching in the right photo.
The romper shown here has gingham covered buttons that allow the two belt pieces to attach and detach again, allowing you to change out of your skirt with ease.
The backside of my romper and myself. :-)
And here are some detailed pictures of the pockets, belts and buttons…
I have to say that this was a really fun and challenging project. A playsuit has been something that I have always wanted to try. It gave me a chance to use some skills that I have acquired over the last couple of years as well as expand on my creativity.
Whew! Such a relief to be done. I had so many doubts along the way. I am just learning to keep motoring on and not listen to those negative thoughts that rumble around in my head.
Have a Wonderful Doris Day!!!!
I have never seen a dress (or pattern like that)! I love the idea though! Yours is super cute =D
Thanks so much gal!!! Have a great day!
Oh this is so lovely. The detailing is so cute and I love that its a play suit underneath the swirly skirt.. Do we get to vote for you?
Hi Gal!!!! Thanks! No you can’t vote, I think that Burdastyle has judges. Doing something like the “playsuit” gave me an opportunity to stick a sewing deadline and to try something new. There is soooo much talent on Burdastyle.
I adore this dress. It looks amazing. I’m not sure I could personally get away with the playsuit underneath it. But it looks fabulous nonetheless. Secretly, I think I’m Doris Day, so this dress would be perfect. Just need to practise my dress making a bit more before I give something this complex a go. Lovely blog, thanks!
Awwwwwe thanks!!!! You are the sweetest- I wish I lived in a Doris Day movie. Crazy I know! I love the era, I love the clothes- people seemed more polite- there was simplicity.. Oh- I could go on! Anyway! Have a lovely day! xoxo
And the men opened doors and stood up when a lady left the table. *sigh*
YES!