Colourful Sarong Dress

Earlier this week I put off all my WIPs and sewed a dress from a sarong - such an easy project, but I'm in two minds about the outcome. As it didn't take long to make I guess I now have the luxury of some spare time to angst about whether or not I like it (HA).

Cutting the sarong - edges will make the bodice, middle will make the skirt

 
With the colour turned down you can see the shape of the eventual dress (well, what shape there is!):

and then (colour back on) here I am in the afternoon sun, wearing what is clearly a loud sack-dress:

On the positive side:

• finally using a gorgeous handwoven sarong bought a few years back in Lombok (and bought with the intention of making a dress!)
• cheap (less than $5...)
• quick to make, and it was fun to experiment with an idea for sewing something out of rectangles rather than using a pattern
• the colours, and the cute unravelling fringe
• comfort - this dress is soft, loose, breezy and super comfortable on a hot day. Or night.
• sun coverage

while on the negative side:

• the fabric's loose weave meant it just kept shifting as I sewed, and the less than pristine look of my seams and seam finishes bug me
• the fit isn't how I envisaged: it looks like a muu-muu rather than an arty sort of akira dress :-(. Basically I cut the bodice too wide because I didn't want to insert a zip.
• I think the fabric is going to grow...
• the colours are probably unstable and the fringe is going to keep unravelling
• my 5 year old wardrobe consultant wants one and it has to be exactly the same (not possible!)

wiggly fabric and messy sewing

Navel gazing means looking down... and I do like the stripes and the fringe

Does comfort trump style?  I'm not sure it does for me - but I guess clothes for super hot days aren't usually particularly stylish.  Let's call this step 1 in a series of sarong sewing experiments...

See you!
Gabrielle x