Michael's Wedding - Mom's Dress
Over the course of my life, I have been known to be idealistic, unrealistic and sometimes just plain goofy...but always an artist or so I imagine myself. This time I got it into my head to make the dress I am going to wear to my son's wedding, coming up at the end of May. With my recent commitment to making an artsy wearable wardrobe, it seemed the right thing to do. So in recent weeks (months actually) I got busy working on what I have dubbed Project "Mike's Wedding-Mom's Dress." I poured through pattern books, Vogue, Butterick, Simplicity, independents...all of them...with a frenzy that only a Chun Girl like myself would understand. "Chun" is 
my maiden name and we Chuns tend to do things with great intensity. Yep, I bought patterns, this one, that one; oh so many!! My sis finally suggested, "Why don't you make that one...that Marcy Tilton top which fits you well and is very stylish? It's such a simple pattern. Embellish it with fabulous jewelry; that'll make the outfit." Inspiration! She was right. If I picked the correct fabric and added a simple fitted tea-length skirt to complement the top, this could be a winner. I found the perfect skirt pattern, especially for knit fabrics, "The Magic Pencil Skirt," by Pamela's Patterns. This skirt is comprised of one pattern piece that you use for front and back, both cut on the fold. I needed to make adjustments to tighten up the skirt to make it a bit more form fitting and also to add length to the skirt pattern. A seam down the center of the back piece instead of cutting it on the fold allowed me to make the adjustment I was looking for. Major time was spent in finding the correct knit fabric, primarily taking into consideration fabric weight...heavy enough to support the fitted skirt, but fluid enough for the top to drape properly. After hours of searching, I found my fabric through the internet from, of all places, Hart's Fabrics in Santa Cruz, California. I grew up in Santa Cruz. Hart's is the fabric store that my mom used to take my sister and me to when we first began sewing. I have good memories of going to the fabric store with my mom. Hart's is where I bought the fabric and notions for my very first attempt at sewing a dress and where we bought the fabric for my son's first baby blanket that my mom helped me make so many years ago. My mother passed away a while back, but I still have that baby blanket...sigh. Thank you, Hart's Fabrics; thank you Mom! My outfit is done. Papa Paz says, "Mama, this looks like a wedding outfit for sure...very nice!" He's my biggest supporter and fan, good or bad, no matter how my finished projects turn out. I included a closeup of the fabric where I hope you can see the glittery silver threads that is a part of this knit fabric; not too shimmery! I would not want to be a blazing beacon at Michael's wedding, after all. I think this fabric is just right. I think I'll be brave and wear it... fly my colors, so to speak. ; )
Over the course of my life, I have been known to be idealistic, unrealistic and sometimes just plain goofy...but always an artist or so I imagine myself. This time I got it into my head to make the dress I am going to wear to my son's wedding, coming up at the end of May. With my recent commitment to making an artsy wearable wardrobe, it seemed the right thing to do. So in recent weeks (months actually) I got busy working on what I have dubbed Project "Mike's Wedding-Mom's Dress." I poured through pattern books, Vogue, Butterick, Simplicity, independents...all of them...with a frenzy that only a Chun Girl like myself would understand. "Chun" is 
my maiden name and we Chuns tend to do things with great intensity. Yep, I bought patterns, this one, that one; oh so many!! My sis finally suggested, "Why don't you make that one...that Marcy Tilton top which fits you well and is very stylish? It's such a simple pattern. Embellish it with fabulous jewelry; that'll make the outfit." Inspiration! She was right. If I picked the correct fabric and added a simple fitted tea-length skirt to complement the top, this could be a winner. I found the perfect skirt pattern, especially for knit fabrics, "The Magic Pencil Skirt," by Pamela's Patterns. This skirt is comprised of one pattern piece that you use for front and back, both cut on the fold. I needed to make adjustments to tighten up the skirt to make it a bit more form fitting and also to add length to the skirt pattern. A seam down the center of the back piece instead of cutting it on the fold allowed me to make the adjustment I was looking for. Major time was spent in finding the correct knit fabric, primarily taking into consideration fabric weight...heavy enough to support the fitted skirt, but fluid enough for the top to drape properly. After hours of searching, I found my fabric through the internet from, of all places, Hart's Fabrics in Santa Cruz, California. I grew up in Santa Cruz. Hart's is the fabric store that my mom used to take my sister and me to when we first began sewing. I have good memories of going to the fabric store with my mom. Hart's is where I bought the fabric and notions for my very first attempt at sewing a dress and where we bought the fabric for my son's first baby blanket that my mom helped me make so many years ago. My mother passed away a while back, but I still have that baby blanket...sigh. Thank you, Hart's Fabrics; thank you Mom! My outfit is done. Papa Paz says, "Mama, this looks like a wedding outfit for sure...very nice!" He's my biggest supporter and fan, good or bad, no matter how my finished projects turn out. I included a closeup of the fabric where I hope you can see the glittery silver threads that is a part of this knit fabric; not too shimmery! I would not want to be a blazing beacon at Michael's wedding, after all. I think this fabric is just right. I think I'll be brave and wear it... fly my colors, so to speak. ; )
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