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Teal Racerback Dress - Simplicity 2443

May 12, 2015 Beth – Sew DIY
Teal Racerback Dress Simplicity 2443 – Sew DIY

The last few weeks have been colder than usual in Los Angeles, with cloudy mornings and even a few days of rain! This month also happens to be Me Made May and I wish I could be wearing more of my warm weather clothes but alas I know that before long the weather will turn quite warm and I'll probably be complaining about it being too hot. So, I will continue making clothes for my Southern California climate and if it's cold I'll just grab a sweater. Today's DIY is a fitted summer dress made in a so soft teal knit fabric.

Teal Racerback Knit Dress Simplicity 2443 – Sew DIY

The fabric is part of a new line of solid knits from Art Gallery fabrics. I was thrilled when they asked me if I'd like to try out some of it. I selected this gorgeous teal color and immediately knew that I wanted to make a summer dress. The fabric was really lovely to sew with. It's a really nice medium weight, not too light, not too heavy. The fabric is not sheer so you'll never have to worry about your undies showing through. yay! If you're new to knits, I think this would be a great one to start with. The line comes in seven different colors, a mix of neutrals and lovely, summery colors.

Teal Racerback Knit Dress Simplicity 2443 – Sew DIY

I've been really into racerback styles lately and wanted to draft a pattern with a racerback and gathered waist. I set to work making a sample but got befuddled out on the waistline and not wanting to lose any time, decided to go with an existing pattern. I've had Simplicity 2443 in my stash for years and have never used it. The style was very similar to what I envisioned so I jumped right now. I had actually already cut out all the pattern pieces for both the dress and jacket so it was very easy to get started.

Teal Racerback Knit Dress Simplicity 2443 – Sew DIY

I cut a size 16 and lengthened the bodice by 1 inch. The design has kind of a drop waist so I probably did not need to lengthen it but the additional length makes it look more like the original. I figured that I didn't need to worry about an FBA because the knit was stretchy enough. The instructions were a little bit funky and seem like they're written for a woven fabric in a lot of places but I just went with it. For instance the zipper at the side seam. Most knits don't really need a zipper and reading other sewist's reviews, a lot of them omitted the zipper. I chose to use the zipper and I'm glad I did because the waistband is fitted enough that I can't get it over my bust without the zipper.

Teal Racerback Knit Dress Simplicity 2443 – Sew DIY

The only bummer was that after I had the dress almost all the way done, I tried it on and it was just too big on top. It was so baggy and awful, I nearly cried. I had just spent hours on this thing and it looked awful! But a quick little pinch at the side seams revealed that all was not lost and some simple adjustments could fix the problem. I ended up taking out 3/4 of an inch at each side seam and I had to reinsert the zipper. I really love the fit now and I'm so glad that I made the adjustments. It was also a little tricky to stitch around the pockets with the side zipper there but it worked out all right.

The trickiest stitching came at the neckline facing. There are a lot of little curves that look really cool but it's hard to stitch around and not have any wrinkles. I was also surprised that the seam allowance at the facing is not enclosed at the facing. I had some little lumps at the top curves when I was done and fixed it but clipping out the excess fabric from the bodice. Make a note that the seam allowance for the facing is only 3/8 inch. Which was a surprise when I got to that step and realized I had stay stitched 5/8 inch in step 1.

One new technique I tried out for this dress was while stitching the hem. I used a twin needle with wooly nylon thread in the bobbin. The wooly nylon thread is kind of stretchy and the stitching was much flatter than usual. Following tips I read on the interwebs, I hand-wound the thread onto the bobbin. I recommend trying it if you struggle with twin needle stitching. Here's a pic I posted on Instagram.

Teal Racerback Knit Dress Simplicity 2443 – Sew DIY

I really love this dress and can't wait to wear it this summer. It will be perfect for wearing to work under a cardigan or out for weekend brunch. The facings and racerback make for great design details but they're not too revealing. I want to send a big thank you to Art Gallery fabrics for giving me this fabric. It's really beautiful and it was a dream to sew with. I'm sure I'll be seeking out more of it in the future. Happy sewing!

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About SewDIY

about sew diy

Welcome to Sew DIY. My name is Beth and this blog is dedicated to sharing inspiration, sewing tips and tutorials for creating your own DIY life. Email me at sewdiyblog [@] gmail [.com]

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I love this photo of @klalalaj and her mom in their matching Ali Sweatshirts. 💗 Kinda makes me want to make a matching sweatshirt for every member of my family and then force them to do a group photo. 👫👭👬👫📷 Thank you Kayla for sharing your makes! #alisweatshirt⠀
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Used the snowy day to stay inside and make some Ali sweatshirts for me and mama... we tried to brave the cold for a photograph of the cute back detail but this was the best we got, so it’ll have to do for now.  #alisweatshirt #sewdiy #snowday ( #📷 @klalalaj )
On this Valentine’s Day, I want to send my love out to all of you and thank you for your support and friendship over the years. 💌 I’m so thankful for how welcoming and supportive the sewing community is and I want you to know that I see you and welcome you to be a part of the community as well. My main goal with this account (and with my blog and patterns) is to spread the joy of sewing and making and create a community based on joy and love. ❤️ Sewing can be such a solitary activity and it’s heart warming to know that there are so many sewists out there who are also exceedingly passionate and excited about this hobby.⠀
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I launched my first pattern, the Lou Box Top 4 years ago and it remains my most popular pattern to date. To celebrate, I'm offering 40% off any single pattern in my shop through the weekend. Use code SEWLOVE40 at checkout (bundles and sewing planner excluded). Discount valid through Sunday, Feb 17 at midnight Pacific time. ⠀
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P.S. I hope you all have lovely days doing things you love with people that you love. 😘 In the photo I'm wearing my most #valentinesday appropriate garment, a #teahousedress in Pendleton cotton.
My two most recent makes. Totally unblogged. But I just COULD. NOT. WAIT. TO. SHARE. THESE. 💗 I was so excited about these makes that I woke up early this morning so that I could wash and attempt to dry my hair and take these photos before going to work. 💄📷⠀
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First up are the #calyerpants by @frenchnavynow_ 💙 I finished these up last night and they are everything that I was expecting. So, basically AMAZING. They are made in a navy linen viscose fabric from @blackbirdfabrics which has a lovely drape and was a true pleasure to sew with. (Worn here with my favorite #louboxtop )⠀
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Next up are the #burnsidebibs by @sewhouse7 These are made in a medium weight cotton check from @wearethefabricstore 🌈 I'm so excited about both of these makes. I just need the weather to warm up so that I can wear them without freezing my feet off. ⠀
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#handmadewardrobe #indiesewing #diyfashion #pdfpatterns #sewersgonnasew #memadeeveryday #thefabricstore #blackbirdfabrics⠀
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Today I’m staying cozy and warm in my thickest #alisweatshirt 💙 One of my favorite details of this pattern is the yoke. It just begs to be color blocked which is such an easy way to add a touch of visual interest and also a great way to use up scraps. ✂️
This pattern is available for 32”-50” bust size with finished bust measurements ranging from 40"-57”. And although I haven’t tested it, I think this pattern could easily be unisex because the loose and boxy style makes it easy to fit most shoulder or chest shapes. (At least in theory. I'd love to hear if you've tested my unisex theory. 🌈)
✂️ You can find this pattern in my shop and make sure to check out the #alisweatshirt hashtag for lots of inspiration. .
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#indiesewing #pdfpatterns #createmakeshare #sewersgonnasew #imakefashion #sewcialists #ilovesewing  #diyfashion #makersgonnamake  #handmadewardrobe  #happysewing

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Some of the links on this site are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products or services I personally own or genuinely like. If a post or giveaway is sponsored, I will clearly state so in the body of a post.

Blog
DIY Silk Culottes Jumpsuit – Review of the Judith Jumpsuit by Schnittchen
DIY Silk Culottes Jumpsuit – Review of the Judith Jumpsuit by Schnittchen
about 2 weeks ago

Hi friends! Today I’m excited to finally share this lovely jumpsuit with you. I started this way back in October as part of the #sewfrosting challenge hosted by True Bias and Closet Case Patterns. The idea behind the challenge is to sew things that are fun and not necessarily practical. I had this gorgeous fabric in my stash for way too long and the challenge inspired me to finally take the plunge and use it. I honestly have not worn this jumpsuit yet except for taking photos but I’m blaming the weather. As soon as it’s a little warmer, I hope to give this jumpsuit a proper debut.