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Hello all!
Its FriYAY! I love Friday so much – its my joint favourite day with Monday :-). I am here to share an Alder shirtdress that ought to have been finished a couple of months ago at least. Alas, it has been a UFO sitting in a carrier back waiting for button holes—oh the shame of it! Anyhow better late than never eh?
This Nani Iro ‘Poncho’ fabric has been in my stash for a really long time (like since the stash began :-)). Being rather precious about it,  of course it was going to made into a TNT pattern like the Alder shirt dress which I have made in blue cotton lawn here and in John Kaldor lawn here . Though I would have loved a bum ruffle – insufficient fabric meant I went for the minimalism of the View A. To add some sizzle I opted to use a scrap of Cotton and Steel in lilac on the under collar. I decided against sewing the full collar because double gauze  is so soft – it doesn’t do crisp corners very well.
Can I just take a paragraph to wax lyrical about how breathtakingly lush this fabric feels against my skin – I feel like I am wearing nothing on at all which is nice yet strange. I digress…pictures…
Construction wise I french seamed it and used self cover buttons. Speaking of self cover buttons I need to give a shout to Ali who recommended this Universal Tool for Cover Buttons and OMG they were a doddle to make. When I think of how long it took me previously! I love the buttons. They are like little candies. 
Again sewing this up was so easy because the instructions are excellent plus there is a sewalong on Grainline website. I cant add anything that I haven’t already said about this great pattern.
I really like this dress because its also one of my first forays into cutting what I consider to be my most precious of fabrics. They say the first step is the hardest; I am hoping it gets easier as I have some Liberty Tana lawn and more Nani Iro. Have you cut into your most ‘precious’ fabric yet? Does it get easier after the first time?
Thanks for stopping by and happy sewing until next time.
Peace and love.
Hila
XoX
navybluethreads
May 27, 2016 8:05 pmThe perfect, warm weather dress. That fabric does indeed look beautiful.
Hila
May 31, 2016 12:01 pmThank you! Now all I have to do is wait for the warm weather to show up…..in the North of England 🙂
Lodi
May 27, 2016 8:10 pmThe first thing I noticed after the luscious fabric were the buttons! I have Nani Iro envy. Always. I’ve never ordered any because I don’t think I could cut into it.
I love the length. Did you adjust it? (And how tall are you?)
It’s a perfect make! Enjoy!
Hila
May 31, 2016 12:00 pmThanks Lodi. I did not adjust it at all – thats why I love Grainline Studio patterns my bust waist and hip fit perfectly.. I am 5ft 6″.
lisa g
May 27, 2016 9:08 pmLove this! The covered buttons are so cute!!
Hila
May 31, 2016 11:58 amThanks Lisa! My twinks saw them when I was making them and they actually thought I was withholding candy from them 🙂
teri dodds
May 27, 2016 9:20 pmHila, this dress is so pretty! I love the dots and your covered buttons. I, too, am a precious fabric hoarder. I have a few cuts of double gauze in my stash and a few cuts of Liberty (one of which is Hello Kitty lawn and has reached epic levels of preciousness!) I just did my first actual sewing with double gauze yesterday and it is like wearing a cloud! Now I feel a little more motivated to use what is in my stash since it’s so lovely to wear!
Hila
May 31, 2016 11:57 amDouble gauze is amazing to wear and I will definitely be buying more in future. I also have a Hello Kitty Liberty lawn in my stash!!! I am incredibly precious about it as well.
oldschoolsewing
May 27, 2016 9:27 pmBeautiful! I too have precious fabric from Thailand that I have been holding onto for years waiting for the perfect project. And I don’t know what that project is going to be. I need to be brave like you and put the material to good use.
Hila
May 31, 2016 11:55 amGo for it – you will love your fabric all the more for seeing it in your closet daily rather than in your stash occasionally 🙂
ellegeemakes
May 28, 2016 12:03 amGorgeous fabric! I know what you mean about ‘precious’. I have several yards of linen that I bought on the Amalfi coast. They’re so yummy, I can’t bear to cut them! Your dress is darling though, inspiration!
Hila
May 31, 2016 11:54 amThanks Elle. But just think how much more lovely it will be to see your precious fabric hanging up in your closet where you can see it daily as opposed to it being in a stash box somewhere where you hardly see it. Go on cut into it and make a gorgeous dress 🙂
CurlsnSkirls
May 28, 2016 2:47 amYour dress colour just makes me smile & the coloured buttons are perfect. No wonder you’re grinning!
Hila
May 31, 2016 11:52 amThank you! I cant help but grin when I feel really good about something I have made 🙂
Clarinda Kaleidoscope
May 28, 2016 6:02 amWhat a fun frock – love the buttons. I have just under a metre in my stash – I’m going to have a look today and see if I get any ideas!
Hila
May 31, 2016 11:52 amOh lovely cant wait to see the Cami top all made up.
Lisa Poblenz (patternandbranch)
May 28, 2016 12:21 pmThis looks so nice. You did an excellent job…and the buttons do look like little candies!
Hila
May 31, 2016 11:51 amThanks!
Hélène
May 28, 2016 12:40 pmYes, there’s nothing like a TNT pattern for those precious fabrics. I second you: this pattern is perfection. I totally admire your perfect execution with French seams, covered buttons and contrasting inside collar. Great work!
Hila
May 31, 2016 11:51 amThank you! Its such a well drafted pattern that is a pleasure to sew up.
amcclure2014
May 29, 2016 11:28 amLovely! I like the buttons too. Great work.
I cut into my precious (read expensive) silk for my daughter’s wedding dress – I’d never sewn with silk other than the back of groom’s waistcoat.
Hila
May 31, 2016 11:50 amI’d love to work with silk one day too. I have 2m of silk dupion bought at a car boot sale that I have no idea what to do with :-).
amcclure2014
May 31, 2016 2:57 pmI have some silk dupion (brought by a friend from India) that I was going to use for my MOB outfit but chickened out. We should encourage each other to use it!
Colesworth
May 30, 2016 12:22 amI absolutely love the colours in this fabric, the buttons are perfect. Must feel great to have unstashed the precious and be able to wear it ;o)
Hila
May 31, 2016 11:49 amThank you and yes! It feels really nice to have it as a precious dress now. I can hang it up and see it – it makes me smile which is great because then:-)
tialys
May 30, 2016 8:58 amIt’s lovely and will see you through lots of sunny days. I am a Liberty tana lawn hoarder – it sounds like a confession doesn’t it? I love to get the fabric out and stroke it. It’s not that I’m scared to cut into it exactly just that I don’t really know what to make with it as I rarely wear ‘ditsy’ florals. When I’m tempted now, I try to buy their more ‘grown up’ designs.
Hila
May 31, 2016 11:48 amI loveLiberty Lawn to look at too but I do confess that some of their designs are too ditsy floral for me too. They do have some nice quirky designs that have caught my eye like the Isle of Wight fabric.
fabrickated
May 31, 2016 6:21 pmThe colours are positively neon and look wonderful on you.
Hila
June 9, 2016 9:13 amThank you.
Rebecca Carroll
March 23, 2018 1:36 amLove, Love, Love this!
Rebecca Carroll
March 23, 2018 1:36 amLove, Love, Love this!