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sunshine forever dress

29 April 2010 by

DON’T FORGET TO VISIT MY ETSY SHOP!

The name for this dress comes from the colors and the amount of time it took me to complete! It was completely worth the work, especially when Jason and I went up to the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve. What an amazing place, perfect for an afternoon of flowers, photos, and a cool bottle of rosé.

sunshine forever dress sunshine forever dress monkey antics

sunshine forever dress sunshine forever dress sunshine forever dress back

This dress has my favorite shades of yellow! It’s so much fun to wear, and of course very comfortable. The skirt is made out of a sheet that has an awesome floral paisley pattern with hidden hearts. I’ve had that fabric for about 3 years, never sure exactly what to make out of it. In February a friend’s tenant gave me the white fabric. It was also a vintage sheet that had been torn in half. It has yellow roses and curls and it couldn’t be softer. It’s an awesome juxtaposition with the first fabric, from the color balance to the formality of the design. I made bias tape in a silky marigold fabric, slightly darker than the yellows in the sheets, which gives the design some structure. It was the only material I bought for this dress, bringing to total cost to about $2.

sunshine forever dress sunshine forever dress sunshine forever dress

I was planning on lining the bodice because I was afraid the white would be too transparent. I spent hours getting the pink cotton to fit just perfectly, only to eventually realize that there was no way I would get the lining and the white fabric to line up perfectly. It turned out that the white fabric was thick enough that you can’t see through it, and I don’t even need the extra support of the lining to wear this dress without a bra. It’s also cooler without the extra layer of fabric, and this way I get to feel the soft white fabric against my skin. I’m sure this would have been easy to do if I’d used a pattern, but damnit, I didn’t want to use a pattern!

sunshine forever dress front detail sunshine forever dress invisible zipper

I’ve got front and back darts that make the bodice fit perfectly but still gives me room to move and wiggle. I put in an invisible zipper at the back (from my mom’s stash), and just about got the print to line up on either side.

sunshine forever dress pocket of wine sunshine forever dress pocket of wine sunshine forever dress at night

The pockets are made out of the same silky polyester as the bias tape. They are set into the side seams of the skirt, which are slightly forward. Like always, I made sure that they are deep enough to carry bottles–this time wine fit! They completely conceal cans, which is important since there are open container laws in California. Although I designed it as a sundress for riding my bicycle, it also works great at night with tights and a cardigan.

Check out this video I made cataloging our day in the flowers!

DON’T FORGET TO VISIT MY ETSY SHOP!

0 Responses to sunshine forever dress

  1. mom

    As Scarlet would say, “Oh, this old thing? It’s just something I saw lying on the bed.” I too just finished a dress out of silk sheets.

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