KNOCK IT OFF

Este mês tenho seguido duas fantásticas séries de costura: Vintage May, nos blogs Skirt as Top e Craftiness is not Optional, e Knock it Off, no blog Elegance and Elephants (sim, o blog da Heidi que desenhou a Bubble Pockets Shorts Pattern). Todos os dias as criações de várias bloggers me vão surpreendendo e inspirando…
Como ambas as séries têm grupos flickr (aqui e aqui) onde qualquer pessoa pode mostrar as suas criações resolvi aproveitar e fazer algo inspirado nos seus temas.
Hoje vou mostrar o meu “knock-off” e lá mais para o fim da semana o meu “vintage” look.

During the month of May I’ve been following two fantastic sewing series: Vintage May, hosted by Skirt as Top and Craftiness Is Not Optional, and Knock-Off, hosted by Elegance and Elephants (yes, that’s the Bubble Shorts Pockets Pattern blog). Each and every day the amazing creations of all the great bloggers how are participation on these series keep on surprising an inspiring me…
As both series have flickr groups (here and here), where anyone can show their creations, I’ve decided to sew two outfits inspired by these series themes.
Today I will share with you my "knock-off" and, towards the end of the week, I will show you my "vintage" look.

Inicialmente pensei em fazer um knock-off de uma roupa de uma marca portuguesa mas acabei por não resistir a copiar este vestido da mini-boden.

O resultado acabou por ser um pouco diferente do original porque me esqueci completamente de franzir o corpo do vestido. A realidade é que só notei que o vestido original era franzido quando já tinha terminado de fazer o meu!
Como base usei a Popover Sundress Pattern da Oliver & S, um molde que adoro e que não me canso de repetir. O tecido não é algodão mas sim aquele tipo de poliéster usado para fazer calções de banho de rapaz (seca em 2 minutos) e tem um toque ultra macio. A qualidade deste tecido não poderia ser melhor e adoro tanto o padrão com as cores! Para as alças usei fita traçadeira em verde-escura (nada fácil de encontrar, por sinal…), a mesma cor das linhas do peitilho.
Pensei que fazer essas linhas direitas iria ser um tormento! Que iriam ficar todas tortas e passaria dias a coser e descoser mas tudo correu bem. Ufa!

At first I thought about choosing an outfit from a Portuguese brand, but I ended up not resisting knocking-off this lovely (as always!) mini-boden dress.
The finished dress turned out to be a bit different from the original as I completely forgot to gather the dress bodice. The reality is that just noticed that the original dress was gathered when I had finished making my! Can you believe it?!
I’ve started with the Popover Sundress Pattern from Oliver & S, a pattern I can’t get enough of.  Simple, classical, perfect! I’ve made some small changes so the dress would look more like the original one: the under arm hem is finished with bias tape, the front and back yokes are slightly bigger (and made in two pieces), the shoulder straps are made of cotton ribbon and there are three pleats at the bottom of the dress.
The main fabric isn’t cotton but that kind of polyester used in boys board shorts (it dries in 2 minutes) and has an ultra soft touch. This fabric’s quality could not be better and I love both its pattern and its colors! The shoulder straps are made of dark green cotton ribbon (it was not easy to find, by the way ...) to go with the parallel lines sewn on the yokes.
I thought making these straight lines would be a torment! I was almost sure that I would spend all day sewing and unpicking them but it all went smoothly and I actually didn’t have to unpick not even one. Whew!

Este vai ser o vestido perfeito para ir à praia. Ou talvez mesmo ir à pesca…
Well, I think this will be the perfect dress to go to the beach. Or maybe to go fishing...