Monday, January 31, 2011

The Macaron Dress



This dress is the result of my growing interest in what I call "having a dialogue with the fabric."

I say, "how do you want me to make you up?"
It said, "Macaron dress please."
I said, "well you've sure got expensive tastes coz that's gonna cost me a bomb to import."
It said, "but I'm worth it."

And it was.

Pockets in action:



Details follow of FBA for Macaron Dress if you need to add more fullness to both upper and lower bodice pieces:

1. Overlap upper and lower bodice pieces 3 cms centre front (to remove the seam allowance, this will be an approximation because of the curved pieces) Trace the new piece ready for manipulation.



2. Do your FBA, mark your bust apex and shift darts accordingly.



3. Mark where the front upper bodice must meet the back so that the pieces match at the side seam (here you can see how the pieces meet under the arm)



4. Use your french curve to mark the new cutting line.


5. Cut and add new seam allowances to the cut pieces.

6. Make sure to alter the waistband piece and skirt pieces the same amount so that all pieces fit together.

7. Compare your pieces with original and sigh the sigh of she who must always spend hours altering patterns.



Edited to add a better picture of the fabric:

35 comments:

  1. So nice! I made this pattern and would love to make it again. Love your choice of fabric! You are the queen of altering! True gift. I haven't the talent...unfortunately but forever trying! I might pull this one out again...

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  2. Your dress is beautiful! Glad you included the close-up pic as the fabric looks gorgeous and also I'm in awe of your skills - it looks absolutely perfect!

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  3. Hi there. I have been reading your blog (with great enjoyment) for ages, without ever commenting - but I was startled into leaving a comment by how gorgeous this dress is. And it is so hourglass flattering!! Carolyne

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  4. I think this is one of the nicest versions of this dress I've seen! It is lovely!

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  5. Ooh-love it. That fabric certainly knew what it was talking about.

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  6. Awesome!! I love the fabric. It was right. It's perfect for the Macaron.

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  7. I was going to say what Carolyn already did. Very pretty!

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  8. So I was thinking, "I hope Mary Nanna wrote a post tonight"...and my wishes were answered. Cute dress, love the "pockets in action" shot. Is that piping I see in the close up photo???????

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  9. Clever fabric indeed! Glad you listened to it.

    This is a wonderful dress that you look great in.

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  10. love it! you look wonderful (always the sign of a good dress, right?)

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  11. This is lovely! So flattering and definitely worth it.

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  12. I have just been reading through your last lot of posts...you have been making a fabulously co-ordinating wardrobe without even doing a "SWAP". Is this intentional or are you just attracted to a blue and white theme at the moment? I was just wondering because you made such hard work of the swap last year and now it looks effortless.

    I love this dress. Have you tried it with a skinny belt? I don't buy Colette patterns because I would have to do too many alterations the other way. Yours looks fab though so well worth the effort.

    I love the white jeans in your earlier poast. I'm guessing you didn't have to go shopping for summer clothes after all???

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  13. That's one smart piece of fabric. It looks great.

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  14. What a nice shape this dress has! I really love blue and white together. It is so summer chic!

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  15. The fabric spoke and the fabric knew! Great dress. It is very flattering on your hour glass figure.

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  16. This is the most gorgeous Macaron dress I have seen. The fabric combination is perfect, and I am swooning over the piping in the sleeve edge - topstitched piping, no less. Did you add piping to the contrast fabric junction?
    It fits so nicely. I hope, on balance, the alterations were worth it.
    I thought it was the fabric sitting in the same cupboard as the patterns that started that sort of fabric conversation. Aren't you stash free? How does your fabric work out these things? I am sure mine reads Burda with a torch with the doors shut. Yours must be more high tech and have wireless internet in the shop.

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  17. i really like these blues together! so pretty. :-) and i'm wowed by the alterations you went through to get the style to fit you!! :-)

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  18. Awesome. My crystal ball sees more fabric speaking of Macarons in your future.

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  19. Love your version of this dress. I have this pattern and really want to make it up this spring. Love your fabric. Thanks for helpful FBA information.

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  20. Oh, you so often manage to find totally inexpensive fabric, a little indulgence once in a while won't kill you :-). And this one is gorgeous indeed...

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  21. Thats gorgeous . Now back to you pale blue white pants which you washed with a blue T shirt. You have just practised "Optical Brightening" which used to be carried out on my grannies sheets after they came out of the copper and went into the rinse water which had a "blue Bag" soaking in it to make the water blue .

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  22. Some patterns have the edge don't they? I've never seen a bad version of this pattern. Your alternations were worthwhile - great fit and a style that suits you so well.

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  23. Great job - it looks awesome on you! I'm liking that fabric...
    Speaking of which - did you make it to the Global 40% off sale? I've been so good and avoided it, but my credit card keeps looking at me!

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  24. This has to be one of my favourites among the things you've made in the last 6 months or so. Great combination of fabric and pattern. However, I'm rather dissappointed you didn't find a way to topstitch some undies onto it somewhere.

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  25. I hope you love this dress because it is too, too cute!

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  26. ok, well i guess I'm going to have to make this now. Every other one of these has been on girls/women who were built like twigs and I didn't think it would work on someone with boobs, so I never bothered with it. I love love love this on you! It's so flattering! Maybe I'll do this for my one decent Costa Rica outfit when we go next month.

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  27. Every time I visit I'm am shocked out of my gourd! Never ceases to amaze me, your sewing ability. Look at all those wispy lines drawn on what appears to be onion skin! A pattern to disaster in my hands but a super cute dress in yours. Sew on!

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  28. FABULOUS! and it looks so good on you, too.
    i've made a colette dress before, the 'chantilly' and thought the pattern and directions were really well done. might have to go and buy another one ( i love the 'sencha' top.)

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  29. Wow. I never would have though to make this pattern for myself, because I a so not the shape of the models, but this looks so lovely on you and makes me think if I had anywhere to go look pretty, I would like to try it.

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