When Maddie from Maddie Made This contacted me about being a sponsor for the An Orla Affair that she is hosting with Allie Jackson, Rachel from Maker Style, and Anya from Anna Zoe, I knew I would have to make another version of the Orla Dress before the month had come to a close.
I've been super inspired by so many of the striped summer dresses that I've seen around - especially this one from Roolee Boutique (now only available in Charcoal).
I've had a couple of yards of a similar brushed cotton sitting around in my stash for ages, just waiting for the perfect pattern to come along so I could recreate my own version of this dress. And after finishing my first Orla Dress, I knew this would be the one.
And I am SO in love with it!
I feel so effortlessly chic in it...even if I am tempting fate by wearing something mostly white (anyone want to take bets on how long it takes me to stain it?). Plus, the alternating stripes give it just enough interest to not feel too boring, but still remain classic.
A note on using striped fabric - buy at least an extra half a yard! I had to sew together a few pieces to have enough for the sleeves in the stripe direction I wanted them. If you look super carefully, you just might be able to see the seam line! Hopefully not :) This fabric was also more narrow than most, since it isn't a true apparel fabric, so I didn't have enough for pockets.
I made the same fit alterations that I had made in my original Orla a couple months ago - lowering the darts, taking some volume out of the sleeves, and bringing it in at the sides just a bit. This fabric is a little heavier than the chambray that I used and I lined the skirt, so the weight of the skirt pulls the waistline down a bit more than I like...I think I'll probably bring it up about an inch for it to be perfect with my natural waist.
To make the cuffs, I simply cut a four inch wide rectangle the length of the sleeve cuff. I then folded it in half lengthwise, folded the edges into the middle (like I was making a super wide bias tape), and then sewed it on to the sleeve, matching the edges to the cuff of the original sleeve. This took out the curve of the cap sleeve and created a true short sleeve, which I love. I'm sure there are better ways to do this that result in a cleaner finish, but I was going for ease. Basically, it's a really wide bias binding, finished on both sides of the sleeve. Easy peasy.
We went to the yearly lavender festival in Sequim, WA last weekend and it was a blast! I'm obsessed with the smell of lavender, so being surrounded by it for an entire day was a dream come true.
I came away with four large bundles of lavender that's currently drying in my kitchen. I've got plans for simple syrup, shortbread cookies, flavored sugar...basically, just give me all the lavender. And when the backdrop for photos is this pretty, who can resist?!
