Monday 14 December 2009

Candy cane Christmas dress New Look 6630

At last, a change from pyjamas. I made this dress to wear to a casual Christmas party on Saturday. Unfortunately, I did not wear it to the party, as I took the girls to see a matinee performance of the Queensland Ballet's Sleeping Beauty in Brisbane (fabulous by the way), and the traffic was so horrendous that we arrived back in town 1 and 1/2 hours after the party had started, so went straight there in our going-to-the-ballet clothes.
The dress is another version of New Look 6630, the pattern I used for the Japanese Print dress. For this version I have again lengthened the short dress, and this time changed the neckline to a deep scoop, front and back.
SDC10430
I used purple piping, as my first idea - white piping, looked like a cliche to me. Despite this attempt at avoidance, DD the second tells me this is a candy cane dress, but that she means this as a compliment. Hmmm.
SDC10420
I have used a bigger button tab this time, purely so that I do not have to fiddle with the feed dogs in order to machine embroider the tab.

Materials: Outer fabric, 1.5m cotton/linen blend from Knit and Stitch (2008)$22.50
Lining: 1.5m polycotton plaid, Jo Anne's (1996) $3
Piping - mostly included in Japanese print dress, free
Pattern - previously used, free
Thread - $3
Button- recycled
$28.50

The inspiration for this dress was unusual for me - it was these totally frivolous and impractical shoes.($19- shop closing sale, very sad for the shop, but I did well)
SDC10440
I am unlikely to wear this dress very often with the inspiration shoes, so it is a pity it does not look quite so good with my ultra practical red hush puppies.
The same daughter calls these my Grandma sandals.
SDC10425 This time she is probably right!

7 comments:

Vicki said...

Mmm, very cute Christmas dress...don't suppose you have purple shoes (of the high heel, not the granny type..lol)?

Patricia said...

...but Grandma sandals in the nicest possible sense!
Cute dress and very flattering. I love the contrast lining and piping.
MaryPat

katherine h said...

Love the shoes...they complement the dress beautifully.

Anonymous said...

Very cute dress and shoes. But I think I'm with your daughter, the Grandma sandals are best saved for trousers.

I am in love with your button tab.

KID, MD said...

Very cute!! I think the purple piping minimizes the candy cane-ness. I LOVE the inspirations shoes. They're perfect with the dress.

Gretchen the Household Deity said...

I am all about the grandma sandals. Bring on the comfort shoes! V cute dress. I keep getting a start when I see you Aussies dressed for holiday parties in sundresses and sandals! I cannot wrap my mind around the the whole hemisphere issue.

Gail said...

Great fit. You could extend this dress into autumn with a top or blouse underneath and a belt.