Design help! - YouLookFab Forum

I'm getting ready to make this dress:

http://i31.photobucket.com/alb.....yard05.jpg

in this fabric:

http://i31.photobucket.com/alb.....ehill3.jpg

It's quite a large print, the flowers are a good 6.5" across.

(I had intended to make a bias cut skirt from the fabric, but somehow didn't notice that the pattern called for 60" wide fabric and this is only 45" - I'd need another yard to make the skirt and, of course, the fabric store doesn't have anymore)

As is, the dress is going to be much too short (yeah, a good 4 or 5 inches above my knees, okay for a tunic, which I may do later, but I want a usable dress) so I'm going to add a solid band around the bottom, but I just can't decide which color to go for. My original thought was one of the purples in the flowers, but then I thought that yellow would look sharp (the trim at the top would be the same color). I don't generally wear yellow because it's not that great of a color on me, but they'll only be a small amount near my face so I'm thinking it could work. What do you girls think?

16 years ago

Maya

Veteran

Ooh, how fab! It's going to be perfect for summer.

I'm normally all for contrast and I love yellow, but it seems like the band is going to be thick if you're going to make it 4-5", so that would be a lot of yellow.

Tanya

I completely agree with Maya. I love purple accented with yellow, bu for such a wide band I would go for a color the blends better with the pattern.

Theresa

(website)

I agree, I think the Purple would be great for such a wide band... if you wanted to incorporate some yellow, perhaps you could put a band of piping between the skirt and the purple band?

May I ask where you found that pattern? Simple dresses like that would be great for Summer here and I love to sew!

medusa

Dusty, could you make the dress longer instead of adding a wide band? The flower print is so gorgeous, I think it would look better to have more of it.

Queen Mum

very cute! I agree... go with the purple band at the bottom. yellow piping sounds nice, and you can use some yellow accessories (shoes, beads or a bag)

Dusty

Active Member

Thanks guys! Purple it is! And I'll look into the yellow piping, that might really finish it off.

I'd love to just use the floral for the full length but I have just enough for the way the pattern is drawn (otherwise, I'd be all over that) and I can't get any more.

The pattern is from a book called "One Yard Wonders" (I can't remember the author's name at the moment and I'm posting from my iPod in the dark so I can't look it up). It's kind of a great little book with a ton of projects that use one yard of fabric - only a few of them are adult-sized clothes, but there's some great stuff.

Thanks for that title Dusty - I'll be able to find it hopefully!

My Nan recently gave me LOADS of fabric and there are a lot that are only around 1 yard/metre so it would be a good book - especially if there is plenty of things for little people too!

There's a whole chapter of clothes for little people! (a couple of skirts, a dress or two, a romper um...and maybe one or two other things). There are more housewares type stuff and bags than clothing, but still a lot of fun projects.

Here's a link to it on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ.....d_i=507846

What would you guys think of making the band into three stripes with yellow sandwiched by purple? Too busy or a little extra touch?

Louise

I think it might be a touch too busy with 2 colours for the band x

Kristine

How about a dark neutral to ground it and dampen down the sweetness? Maybe slate grey?

15 years ago

I may have to do that - I went to two fabric stores today and neither had a purple that would match (they all had true purple and lavender and the purple in the flowers is more of an orchid, I think, more red than what I'm finding). I did find, however, perfect matches for both yellows (there are two, a bright daffodil yellow and a pastel version), of course, since I'm not looking for those. I'll have to hit the quilt shop next and see what they have. (I usually wouldn't bother there since their fabric is more expensive, but I'll need a half yard at most so it won't be that bad.

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