I don’t mean to assault you with images of myself this week, but I was very excited about finishing this dress and wanted to share. I’ve seen various versions around the web, and had been admiring the pattern from afar, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to be invited to participate in the Perfect Pattern Parcel Tour. I had always planned on sewing both the Summer Concert Tee and the Lady Skater dress by Kitchy Koo for the tour, but time got away from me, and I couldn’t get it done by my scheduled date.
But I had a good window of time to complete the dress yesterday, and I am so proud of the neckline. So proud. This was the first time I used this method of leaving one shoulder open to attach the neckband (attaching it flat vs. in the round), and I love it. K saw me in the dress and cried out, “Mommy! It’s beautiful!! I want one, you need to make me one NOW.” And then she reflected for a moment and said, “But I have to grow some breasts first. That dress looks really good with breasts.”
Feelin’ a little self-conscious, I must say. You all know that I don’t wear a lot of fitted clothes, and though I may have boobs, I don’t have a waist so these types of garments tend to accentuate my barrel-like torso. But the dress is very comfy — I wore it all day and felt great in it.
Another reason I couldn’t get it done in time is because I erroneously cut out only one skirt piece instead of two and ran out of the navy print knit. This meant I had to go scavenging in my cavernous bins to find fabric that would match, and this solid navy was all I could find. It almost helps to create the illusion of a waist, so that was a boon. What I didn’t realize was that was this knit stretches to infinity and after I took these photos and wore it all day, the skirt was a veritable maxi. I’ve chopped about four inches since, and it’s much less “country western/yee-haw” as M opined.
You can see the skirt’s downward descent above…
The dress is easy-peasy to sew and again, the neckline! It’s the most professional finishing I’ve ever done. I’m loving the 3/4 length sleeves and I should mention that I decided to cut one size smaller than my closest measurements, and that worked out really really well.
The one thing I would change is the fabric density next time. I got the rayon/jersey knit on top from here a long time ago, and the bottom knit was a small amount leftover from my summer maxi dress. Both knits I used are a little too thin and my “body shaper” undergarment had to save the day because the rolls were just too, too enhanced. In fact, it looked like I had rolls on top of rolls, and oddly, the rolls were prominent in sections where I don’t actually have them. So for my next Lady Skater, I’m choosing a thick, thick knit with excellent recovery. Alright, that’s enough photos of me for a good while, methinks.
Girl, you look FABULOUS in this dress! I keep thinking about getting this pattern- wondering if it would be flattering… I’m just loving your version. Perfect necklines are a beautiful thing. Well done, Sanae!
Thanks, girl!! When it comes down to it, my knits are the ones I reach for the most, so this is a great one to sew up. Highly recommended!
You do look fabulous! I like the flowy skirt, but I know exactly what you mean about clingy knits. Gotta leave something to the imagination.
I agree, Kristi! This is definitely the most close-fitting garment I’ve worn in a long time. M was quite pleased, I should point out. He said, “you should wear that one a lot!”
You look amazing and sophisticated in that dress. It is simple and classic and what would we do without our Spanx? You rocked that one!
I have serious respect for the person who invented spanx, because those things are miracle workers. Thank you for the sweet words, Karen!
You look so great. And I love K’s comment. She totally is right: This dress looks great with breasts
Ha, thanks Annika! I did wonder if it was a bit too in-your-face, but you just can’t beat the comfort of this dress!
Love your lady skater! You look great in it!! I really like the two different fabrics.
And I literally laughed out loud at K’s comment!
Thanks, Meghan! So hilarious, my daughter is. Breasts became the theme for the rest of the evening and she kept asking questions like “what if I ended up with 100 breasts? Where would I get a bra?”
That truly is a beautiful neckline! And the rest of the dress is great, too, very flattering. K is too much!
Thanks Morgan – I always botch up necklines, so this was a seminal moment for me
Beautiful dress!
It’s really flattering on you. Why don’t you wear fitted dress every day?
You definitly need an (or two) other one
I’ll have to build up my courage to wear a fitted dress every day
Although I wore this dress all day yesterday, I also had on a very long scarf that covered much of my front, which probably explains why I felt thoroughly comfortable! Ha!
This looks great on you! Make more, make more, because it is super flattering!
Thanks so much, Teresa, I love your dress and peplum too!!
This looks excellent! I love the look of the contrasting skirt fabric – it’s the most stylish version of this dress I’ve seen. Definitely one to make again.
Thanks Suzy! I was so pumped to make this dress in the print fabric, but you’re right, I think the end result of the contrasting skirt fabric works
LOL! i had a similar roll/fabric density issue with the first lady skater i made. need to revisit that still, in fact. and your neckline is perfection!!
Thanks Rachael! Yes, that neckline is frame-worthy in my book
And man, what is up with clingy fabrics and phantom rolls?
You’re beautiful and the dress is beautiful! Kids are awesome because they’re so honest, though often not the kind of honest we’d like to hear(!), but your daughter called it perfectly!!
Oh, too kind, Alana! Thank you!! K has me rolling with laughter every day – the girl is a riot! It’s interesting because she comes off as shy at first, but she lives to tell jokes.
I promise you, you are the only one who thinks a few extra photos of yourself could be considered an assault on your readers. I am always excited to see extra seeing for yourself. Being one who feels she lost her waist with the accumulation of three pregnancies worth of stretched skin, I am always encouraged to branch out and find my own flattering styles when I see your posts and the progress your sewing skills are making. I never appreciated the great body I had before pregnancy. Now I look to people like you who seek body acceptance when the body isn’t “perfect”. Keep it up. And if it were up to me, I’d get to see a new piece if clothing at least a few times a week.
I appreciate your comment so much, Amber! I do feel weird about seeing myself so much here as I try to keep a variety and balance going but yes, am definitely working on the body acceptance and I do so love to sew…maybe I’ll even be able to build up to a weekly schedule again!
You look great in this dress! I love the different color top and skirt especially with the belt. K’s comment killed me! So good!
Happy accidents are the best! Thanks, Em!
This would have to be the nicest version I have seen of this pattern. I have just purchased the packet and will be definitely be making this one up.
Keep posting the photos..
Oh, thank you, Stephanie! So glad you got the parcel and the lady skater will come together in a very satisfying way, I think
You and accidental color-blocking=dream team! I think the dress is very flattering (and I am sure not just because of the body shaper!) and makes me consider trying more fitted garments. I really love the belt you styled it with. And K is just the best… I laughed out loud. I always say when I see K´s new dresses, “I want one now!…..But it looks really great without breasts….”
I tell you, I’m always color-blocking out of necessity! And trust me, the body shaper aka spanx was a life-saver. That’s so funny about K’s outfits – I think the same thing!
I’m with the rest – this dress looks awesome on you! Total “wow” and your figure looks really great in it! Honestly so flattering on you. And K’s comment is my fave.
Thanks, Kristin!! It’s a lot more body-hugging than I’m accustomed to, but it’s really like wearing pajamas, so I love it. K is such a crack up, right?
Oh yeah! That is a gorgeous dress. Navy is probably my favorite “clothes for me” color next to gray. That top fabric is so unique.
I made one of these just before Valentines Day… must dig out and photograph…
Me too, Brienne! Love me some navy. Yes, the knit with the houndstooth-esque print is beautiful. It has a luxurious drape and a very slight sheen, and it’s so easy to iron! I can’t wait to see your version!
I’ve seen this pattern make its way around the blogs and have always admired it, but truly this one takes the cake! This is by far my favorite version, and I think it’s because of the two different fabrics used. It’s very flattering on you. Of course having breasts is a definite boon, as K has so sagely noted, so maybe this pattern wouldn’t be so great on my less-than-buxom bodice. I think this dress is a real winner, and I sure hope you share the next Skater dress 2.0 if you sew one up:)
(btw, isn’t there a child version of the skater dress as well? a future sewing project for K?)
I actually think this would look fantastic on slimmer builds, Lucinda! In some ways, I feel like I’m promoting my, uh, assets, a bit too much, but I honestly think this style works on a range of body types. I don’t know if there’s a mini skater version, but if there is, I definitely want to make it. I better go investigate!
http://kitschycoo.bigcartel.com/product/the-skater-dress-sewing-pattern-18m-2t-3t-4t-5y-6y-7y-8y-pdf
(in case K expresses her desire for one again:)
Thanks, Lucinda! There just might be a skater for K in the near future
This is really beautiful and what a happy accident with the different top and bottom half. Had to laugh over your daughter’s ‘breast’ comment. Kids don’t hold back that’s for sure. My little boys like to tell me my tummy looks like pizza dough.
I’ve gotten the pizza dough comment too! Kids. Though my favorite to date is when K said, “Your legs are so cute! They’re like giant squashes!!”
This Lady Skater looks great on you. And perfect finish on the neckline. I know that feeling of really nailing it.
Thanks so much, Jill – nothing beats that feeling of “nailed it!”
I love out so much!! You look wonderful in it.
Thank you, Greta! I think all compliments need to directed to the designer of the pattern
Another possibility is to raise the placement of the waist seam to correspond to your smallest circumference. Tie an elastic around your torso and twist and bend from side to side, it will settle at your real waist. From the pictures, I think it is maybe ~2 inches higher than the current seamline. If the seam feels too uncomfortably close to boobage, you can lower it a little bit and add a wide elastic belt to cinch.
I don’t have much of a waist, either (a Japanese American friend once called it “the perfect kimono figure”), but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the effect of encircling the smallest dimension, even if it’s much higher than I would wear pants or a skirt.
My girls are boob-obsessed, too. Over the weekend, I was wearing a cashmere sweater, and one of my 3-year-olds couldn’t keep her hands off of me, LOL.
I was thinking about raising the waist too, June! I do find it a little low for me… “Kimono figure”! I love that – I definitely have one of those