Monday 26 January 2015

Picnic Dress Gabby

We seem to be experiencing another summer heatwave here in Sydney - and these things seem to be coming more regularly - so yesterday, when I noticed myself pulling out my Starry, Starry Gabby to wear yet again, it felt like the right time for whipping up another Gabby dress.


Ah, but what fabric to use? I'm trying to sew from my stash, so I looked around the sewing area of the study and noticed this fabric I'd bought to make my son a short sleeved shirt using a cool vintage pattern (see? not entirely selfish!).

Hmmm... Maybe not really his style? I asked him what he thought, he thought definitely not. Within about 5 seconds of that rejection, the fabric was on the ground and the Gabby pattern pieces were strewn about :).  I wish I could tell you the fabric was a cool 100% cotton or linen, but sadly it's just a cheap poly-cotton from Lincraft - I simply fell for the oversized checks.


Speaking of oversized checks, there seem to be lots of wonderful gingham garments around but THIS Celestial dress of Rosie's is the one that fired up my imagination most recently.  I absolutely love both Rosie's dress and the bucketload of inspiration pictures she's posted alongside it.

Oh and I should mention that when I posted a picture of this dress to Instagram shortly after finishing it, Carolyn commented that she was just finishing off a very similar dress - so look out for Carolyn's gingham dress on her blog VERY soon (I'm already expecting to prefer hers to mine!)


I'm sure the Gabby is not the perfect summer dress for everyone, but it really works for me, and now I've made it a few times (the Starry onethis one in a stretch, and another recent, unblogged dress in a heavy Nani Iron cotton) it comes together ridiculously fast - so this dress was all done in a day, in between chatting with the kids and feeding them. As I've made and blogged it before and it's such a straightforward dress, I won't review the pattern itself and instead I'll just list the changes I made this time around:

  • Lengthened the sleeves about 2cm.
  • Added 16cm length all around, then removed 16cm length after the dress was all done bar the hems, then noticed it was a bit short (I'm about 5'8"), so left an overlocked edge instead of a hem.
  • Added in-seam pockets, the size based on putting my hand down on the fabric, and position based on trying on the partially sewn dresss and pinning the top and bottom of a space where my hand naturally wanted to slide into a pocket. I didn't have enough fabric to be able to pattern match pockets to the dress, but the pocket pieces match each other and are symmetric too. 
  • Added bust darts to assist in matching up the checks on the side seams and because that little bit of excess length in the front edges looked like the right amount for a bust dart.

Spot the bust darts! Oh and btw, the front has moved off centre in this picture. 

Pattern matching and in-seam pockets

That's all, but I'll be back soon with the Nani Iro version and a dress in the fabric of the year (ah, but which year?).



See you soon

- Gabrielle x


28 comments:

  1. What a great dress! So appropriate for summer, and as always beautifully made. Love your check matching.

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  2. That dress does look lovely and cool. Shame about the poly. It is lovely though.

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  3. A perfect no fuss dress for the heat. I'm almost a bit envious of your heat wave - it feels like summer has skipped Melbourne this year :)

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  4. Sew, Jean Margaret26 January 2015 at 09:27

    What a striking dress. The checks are gorgeous and so perfectly matched. You definitely have the legs to wear this length. Looking fabulous.

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  5. All you need now is a rattan picnic basket, a thermos of tea and a strawberry sponge cake and you'll be set to go. Great dress.

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  6. Gabrielle Corbett26 January 2015 at 14:03

    Thanks Andrea! Sadly the heat went last night, and now we have a few cool rainy days ahead of us, but I'm sure there's more hot weather ahead... How is Christchurch - are you having a warm summer?

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  7. Great summer dress for the heat we have been having and I love gingham checks.

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  8. Fabulous dress Gabrielle! this simple chic style suits you so well too :)
    and yes, great minds think alike! The gingham is perfectly suited to an uncluttered swingy stye like this. I think we need to go on a picnic together!

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  9. Gabrielle Corbett26 January 2015 at 15:20

    Thank you Lara :) The check matching is a compulsion - I find it very hard not to match things up!

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  10. Gabrielle Corbett26 January 2015 at 15:21

    Thank you Beajay, and yes I so wish it wasn't a poly mix! I know it would feel a million times softer it is were pure cotton...

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  11. Gabrielle Corbett26 January 2015 at 15:22

    Thanks Robyn, though the heatwave has now left us (always the way if you make something to suit the weather!). Maybe Melbourne will be like Paris last year and have a divine late summer?

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  12. Gabrielle Corbett26 January 2015 at 15:32

    Thank you Jean Margaret! When it gets super hot I think shorts or shorter skirts are the most comfortable option, though I have to admit I'm not yet used to the breeziness of this skirt...

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  13. Gabrielle Corbett26 January 2015 at 15:33

    NOW you're talking! Gah, it's raining here now, but now you've suggested it I really feel like a strawberry sponge cake and tea on a sunny picnic!

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  14. Gabrielle Corbett26 January 2015 at 15:34

    Thank you Sharon!

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  15. Gabrielle Corbett26 January 2015 at 15:37

    Oh I love yours - I knew I would! That's so funny though - two breezy above-the-knee red and white gingham dresses with in-seam pockets on opposite seaboards of Australia! I would LOVE to come on a picnic, I'll bring that strawberry sponge cake Bernice suggested!

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  16. You're both gingham matching ninjas! This is such a great dress on you, it's like the Gabby was made for you. Perfect summer dress

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  17. I love your dress. While I love gingham on others, I can't bring myself to sew it having been taught to sew on strips of gingham check by horrible nuns!

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  18. Love it - painterly prints are a particular favourite of mine, and the colours in this one are gorgeous :)

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  19. Gabrielle Corbett27 January 2015 at 00:24

    Thank you Carolyn, it is divine isn't it!

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  20. Gabrielle Corbett27 January 2015 at 00:31

    Thank you Suzy! How is your Emery dress going? I can imagine it must look gorgeous in this fabric - and if you haven't started sewing it yet, please don't get too worried about how your machine will cope, I'm sure it'll be fine! I went back and checked my scraps (hoarder alert) and yes, it's Anne Taylor fabric - well done in finding that skirt! I wonder if there was a dress in that line too?

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  21. Gabrielle Corbett27 January 2015 at 00:32

    Thank you Mel, it's fabric like this that makes me wonder why I steered clear of prints for so long...

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  22. Gabrielle Corbett27 January 2015 at 00:34

    Oh no! Do you prefer princess seams or regular bust and waist darts on a bodice?

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  23. NICE!!! Looks so comfortable!!! :)

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  24. This looks so perfect for summer! I love this style of dress on you & both you & Carolyn have nailed the pattern matching!

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  25. Fabric Epiphanies30 January 2015 at 05:38

    I don't mind. It depends on the fabric. I prefer darts for busy prints.

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  26. Fabric Epiphanies30 January 2015 at 05:41

    Yes it has been very warm and I think the last time it rained properly was before Christmas. Everything is do dry!

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  27. That's really interesting! I've worn and washed my skirt a lot but it still feels like it has no give. its still quite tight across my hips - particularly when i sit. I like a pencil skirt to be tight across the hips for the silhouette when i'm standing, but i do prefer a bit of give in the fabric for sitting, particularly when i wear it it work!

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  28. love this fabric and colour on you... such a lovely dress.. great fit as well...

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