I’ve been contemplating a way to kick in the summer with a bit of a bang. Especially since I’m done with the middle schoolers as of yesterday – now that’s reason enough to celebrate big, dontcha think? And its been a long while since I hosted a sewalong so, over on Facebook I asked about the idea of doing a shirtdress sewalong or a wrap dress sewalong, and there were many yays for both sides. The wheels started turning and I started looking for a pattern. Guess what I found? I found a stylish and current pattern that will do the job of both, enter Simplicity 1880:
I don’t know why I haven’t seen this pattern before, but hey, it combines two great looks that I love into one. For you shirtdress fiends out there, this pattern has a notched collar (yay!), a yoke, a bit of gathering at the shoulder and pleating at the waist (my favorite) and a button placket. For those of you with a wrap dress fetish, this dress has a wrap bodice to die for. Again soft gathers at the shoulders and pleating at the waist make this a big win win for me. And just look at all the sleeve options.
These dresses are considered faux wrap and shirt dresses as the wrap and shirt style doesn’t extend into the skirt, but that’s no biggie, right? Plus pair any of these with a cute handmade belt or sash and goodness, you’re good to go! So fellow sewalongers what do you say? Are you in?
Now, I’ll be making up both the wrap and shirt dress options, but you don’t have to. Grab the button for the shirt dress:
Or for the wrap dress:
Come on! I would love to have everyone participate! I do think you’ll enjoy it and I’ve got tips and tricks up my sleeve for each version. I’m rating this sewalong as intermediate, but I’ll say that if you are a beginner with a few garment projects under your belt, go ahead and tackle the wrap dress with me. We’ll be tackling a side zip for each version and there’s the collar and buttonholes for the shirtdress and the wrap top bodice will have an extra something from me for how to keep it from gaping. The official start date of the sewalong is June 18. In the meantime, I’ll be posting some inspiration and we’ll discuss fabric and notion options to get ready for the big day (plus some great discounts from some of my favorite online shops – so stay tuned for today’s follow-up post). I’ll also post a tentative schedule so you’ll know what to expect. Sound good?
Let’s bring on summer! Hip, Hip Hooray!
xoxo,
Sunni
liza jane - Ooh, fun! I’ll have to check and see if I have this pattern in my stash. I think I do. The wrap dress with short sleeves looks very promising. And hooray for being done with middle schoolers!
Ginger - So exciting! I’m not 100% sure that I’ll have the time to keep up with this, but I’m going to try my hardest!
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Anna Dorthea - Love the idea, but I have to honest and say that I’m not really into that particular pattern. I think I’ll make a Burda shirt dress instead but I’ll look forward to seeing your dresses!
Rochelle New - Count me in for the shirt dress!! I actually have this pattern in my stash already
It was meant to be!
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Fay V - Hi Sunni,
Congrats on taking the decision to call it quits with the middle schoolers. It’s just dreadful being miserable at work. This sew along looks great & I will try to do my best to take part. I’ve ordered the pattern, breaking my no more buying sewing stuff for a bit rule but hey, I have fabric that will work & it looks a really wearable pattern.
Thanks for doing this,
F x
Rory - Considering the amount of fabric I have marinating in my basement, and it doesn’t seem that my family is having an intervention for me anytime soon this will be a perfect challenge for me. Thanks for offering this!
Shawnta - I’m in!!! Although I just said I was going to focus on pants and shorts this month I can not resist a pretty dress.
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Tasha - Ooh, how exciting! I like both styles. I’m glad this one will include a notched collar as collars make me crazy. I love the variety of sleeve options too. What a fun sewalong!
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Mr. S - I will supply as much or as little treat support you need. With a bang means with sugar right?
Stacy @ Stacyverb - Somewhere in my fabric stash I have a wrap dress that I started two years ago and never finished. It’s not this pattern, so I won’t be doing the sew-along, but I think this post has inspired me to get it out and finish it.
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Denise - I am going to try my best. First sew-a-long for this girl!
Leah - Awesome! I’m so down. I might make both….
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Shelley - Great idea. Thanks for hosting! I actually made the wrap version and wore it for Me-Made-May ’12 (this also contains the blog link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shelshel/7160094750/in/photostream). It was kind of a hot mess, so I’ve been wanting to try the shirt dress to try to rectify some of my fitting issues. Perfect timing. I also just started a different wrap dress, Vogue 8784, so a bunch of us must have wrappin’ on our minds.
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Jenny - How exciting–my first sew-along! And I was already planning on making a shirt dress in the next few weeks, too. I actually like this pattern more than the one I had in mind. Thanks for doing this!
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Sara - Thanks for this lovely sewalong!!
I would love to make the shirtdress.. I’m going to London the 18th of June so I am going to try to pick up the pattern there. Can you tell me how much fabric I would need for a European size 42? Then can I look for fabric too
Thanks!!
Sunni - It depends on the sleeve option you want, but you are welcome to look at the envelope back via the Simplicity site!
http://www.simplicity.com/p-7453-misses-dresses-project-runway-collection.aspx
Sunni - So glad to have you on board! I personally think the pattern is rather stylish myself and I’m really surprised that I was able to find one that combined both looks that I really love! So excited to hop into the sewalong! Yay!
Sunni - So nice to see it made up and worn! Love that! Definitely excited to see a shirt dress from you now too!
lynne b - I would love to join you….I already have this pattern!
Sunni - Yay! That’s the spirit!
Sunni - You’ll have so much fun! Promise!
Sunni - You are totally welcome to follow along if you like! Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing wrap and shirt dresses galore!
Sunni - I do too! It’s kind of crazy because I hadn’t really noticed that pattern before, but looking at it now, looks its got really good bones and will fit a variety of shapes quite well. I’m so excited for both versions and can’t wait to share some exciting tips for all!
Katie - Now that guy is a keeper!!
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Katie - This is a great pattern! I had somehow overlooked it as well, but I’ll have to rectify that. When’s the next Simplicity sale??
I’m going to try to sew along, but I HAVE to get my STB SIL’s wedding dress done, so that will take priority, but I need something to wear to the wedding, too! This looks perfect. Now I just have to choose – wrap or shirtdress??
Katie recently posted..Simplicity 3503
Tiffany - Hi Sunni!
Excited about this sewalong (hopefully I finish)!
I’m trying to copy the button onto my page but I’m not getting the proper coding (I’m completely ignorant to the button attaching world of blogging). Can you show/send it to me?
Thanks so much!
Tiff
maddie - I would love to join this sew along but I currently have a plateful of projects for the summer. Regardless, I’ll enjoy seeing all of your creations.
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mz.choize - I’m in! I already have this pattern, so I’m pretty excited to join. Thanx Sunni
Emily - Oh how exciting! I will be on the look out for that pattern.
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neemie - Yay! I have this pattern and lots of fabric. I plan on making the wrap dress as I’ve yet to make a wrap dress that I like. I’m so excited
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Janelle Sew Hopefull - Wow. I only yesterday ordered that pattern online. Its coming to Sydney from USA so I really hope it gets here in time. My first sew along. Had so much fun doing Me Made May I’m keen to do more ‘social sewing’ and this one is right up my alley. Yayy.
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Juliet - Oh oh oh! I would love to make the shirtwaist dress. I hope I wouldn’t over-stretch myself by signing up for this and the Summer Spark Sew Along, but I have so much fabric in my stash that would be perfect for a shirtwaist dress it would be a crime not to join in. Off pattern shopping tomorrow!
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Sara - I’ve been looking at the pattern enveloppe for the short sleeved version and if I read it right I’ll need 3 3/3 yard of fabric, only for the dress. If I recalculate this to meters it’s nearly 4 meters! I can’t believe this is true, I’ve never needed that amount of fabric for a shortsleeved dress before!
Vicki Kate - Sunni, your timing is amazing! I’m plotting a shirt dress at the moment and was going to use the Lisette traveller dress but omit the buttons and placket in the skirt and re-draft it to have a side zipper so I could still get it on. And change the sleeves a bit too. I want a navy and red dress though and only have 5 perfect vintage buttons, hence the list of ‘changes’. But I love Kate Middleton’s yellow shirt dress from last year so the Lisette was a bit of a compromise as I had the pattern. But Simplicity 1880 is eerily close to the dress she wore so HURRAH! Plus I have a gazillion yards of a natural satin fabric that would be perfect for the wrap dress so it’s a lot of wins – stash busting, lusted after dress plus something to use my VIF (very important fabric) satin on with the fun and help of a sew along! Thank you!
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Kendall - This pattern looks like a good one! I might just have to give it a try…
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Sunni - This sounds too good to be true! Yay! So happy you’re joining along!
Sunni - You are right! I’ve used these project runway patterns before and the envelope back is a bit misleading as to how much fabric you truly need. In essence they give you the yardage requirement for the base of the dress and then additional yardage requirements for all of the options. However, the result leaves you with quite a bit more fabric than you need. I’ll be sure to do a post early next week on how to calculate yardage requirements in a different way.
Sunni - We won’t officially start sewing until June 18 – got to get the schedule up today. So I think you should be just right.
Sunni - I’m so keen on this wrap dress that I could just cry! It looks so perfect! I do hope everyone enjoys it so!
Sunni - No worries, I completely understand. We’ll look for you next time!
Sunni - Yes! I’ll send you an email right this minute! Sorry for the delayed response!
Sunni - I have no idea how I overlooked it either! I’m not exactly sure when the next Simplicity sale is going on, but I’m quite sure that Joann is due to have one very soon. Best of luck with the wedding dress – it’s looking quite lovely! And you definitely need a new dress to wear to the wedding! This one would be a perfect solution!
Sunni - He is pretty sweet….most of the time! ha ha!
Sunni - I was so surprised when I found this little gem of a pattern! So glad you like it too!
Sunni - Awesome! And thank you so much for your words on my job! I’m so glad its over!
Sunni - Yay! I’m shocked I didn’t already have it in my stash. So crazy that I’ve somehow missed this pattern.
Sunni - I’ll admit that the cover photo of the pattern just doesn’t do it justice. I love it personally, but you are welcome to follow along with a different pattern if you like. I’m sure there will be a few things that you can glean from the sewalong!
Sunni - Thank you! I squealed with delight as I walked out of the school the other day. So much happier now!
Barbara J - I have some reservations about the pattern but figure that I will definitely learn something by sewing along, so I’m in. I don’t have a blog. Will you do a flickr page? Oh yeah, I don’t have a flickr account either!! That’s another thing I’ll be learning
Sunni - You definitely do not have to have a blog to participate! Having a flickr account is totally fun and worth it as there are many drool-worthy photos posted everyday. But even if you don’t want to do that, you can definitely participate here. I do so appreciate your comments! Thank you Barbara J!
Melanie - I just picked up some navy swiss dot with a different dress in mind, but when I saw the cross over cap sleeved option of this, I think it will be perfect. I recently tried on a dress at Anthro with a dolman style cap sleeve and realised it’s the perfect variation on sleeveless. I have some concerns about the lack of bust darts in this pattern, though. That makes a bodice difficult to alter, but it will make it a good choice for a sewalong. I have been making almost exclusively empire waist dresses, because they highlight my narrowest bit, but I’m nevertheless starting to feel like I should probably have other options once in a while even if they aren’t the most slimming. This would be absolutely scrumptious in Liberty, wouldn’t it?
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Sunni - To die for in Liberty! But just as lovely in swiss dot – I have a serious soft spot for swiss dot. Oh I definitely think you should make one up!
LizJane - I’m so excited about this one – been searching for a shirt dress pattern and completely missed this one. Thank you. I’ve got some black swiss dot in my stash that would be lovely for a work summer shirt dress!
I’m not sure how to get the icon into my widget bar in WordPress but I will do some research…
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Michelle - This looks awesome! I’ve been admiring the Simplicity pattern 1880. Don’t know if I’ll have time to sewalong since I have so much going on already! Since I’m a public librarian, summer is my busiest time with the reading program and tons of kids at the library. I’m usually drained by the time I get home to do any sewing. And I still have two other costumes to finish for Sept. hmmmm, but I really want to participate! LOL! I can’t say no to some awesome sewing. It looks like the sewalong will finish right around the time of my birthday and it’ll be great to have a new birthday dress!
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On the Celebration of Small Accomplishments | Bobbins and Whimsy - [...] want to–and I did not touch my sewing basket. Also, since I’ve decided to join in the Shirt Dress Sew-Along (First Sew-Along! Hurray!) at A Fashionable Stitch, I’m going to hold off on tackling [...]
Maggie - This is so exciting. I just got back from London with the perfect Liberty print and some vintage buttons that are screaming shirtwaist dress! And *if* the online Joann’s flyer is right in my area it looks like Simplicity patterns are on sale this week…and I also have two of your belt making kits! Clearly this is fate
Thanks Sunni!
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Lenora Jane - Eeeagh, just in case I hadn’t already recklessly thrown in with too many sewalongs this month/summer. Maybe! As Maggie says, if Simplicitys are on sale at Joann…
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Sunni - Oh and they are! $1.99 until June 6. Get them while they’re hot!
Marcy Chandler - I’m just starting back at the sewing game and I LOVE this dress so I am in
Side or Back Zippers – Which Do You Prefer? « VickikateMakes - [...] pattern Sunni is using for her shirt dress sew along, Simplicity 1880 (I’m going to do the wrap dress), has a side zipper. Is this driven by [...]
A FABRIC DIET | Sew Busy Lizzy - [...] pictures soon I promise! I was already to roll into another project, Sunni’s Simplicity 1880 Sewalong and just can’t find the fabric to ‘sing’ to me!!! I have this picture in my head [...]
It’s Officially Time to….. - [...] your buttons here! Only if you want to – you don’t have to, you know. And you can link here – [...]
A Sailor pic nic or “Now I just need a yacht for a pic nic” « Kim-ing - [...] in 2. Gathering 3. Making button holes … still need some practice but I will get this in my Shirt dress sewalong Although my skirt isn’t as big, so doesn’t twirl as well it is very cute and I [...]
Hazel - I meant to comment on this post when you first posted it, but I’ve hardly had any time to sit down at a computer and do so! My mum chose the wrap dress as one of the items she wanted me to sew up for her this summer. I hadn’t got round to starting it yet and then you announced this would be a summer sew-along! It’s got me way more inspired to get on with the dress!
So thank you for this sew-along, it’s definitely going to help me keep on top of this dress and get it finished for her!
Nautical Shirt Dress – Progress « VickikateMakes - [...] don’t know if you’re aware of Sunni’s two in one sew along she’s hosting over at A Fashionable Stitch? I’m taking part but decided to mess with [...]
Sneak peak of shirt dress « Cuckoo Chanel - [...] wait until the REAL photographer gets here to show off my 2-in-1 Sewalong dress. Especially since Teddy cat is so darn needy and cute. Can’t wait for the shirt and wrap [...]
Jennifer - I have this pattern but have yet to make the dress. Is your version posted somewhere? I saw the finished shirtdress and I adore it! I’d love to see your finished version of the wrapdress. I’m a beginner sewer so although I really, really want these dresses – I feel…intimidated by the patterns and having to multi-size. Love to see your work – thanks for sharing
Sunni - Hi Jennifer! I did post both versions here:
http://www.afashionablestitch.com/2012/sewalongs/2-in-1-sewalong-shirt-dress-reveal-party/
http://www.afashionablestitch.com/2012/sewalongs/2-in-1-sewalong-wrap-dress-reveal-party/