Originally posted in September 2013: Textured fabrics are still top of my fabric sewing list. What’s a bit of lace on the sleeves these days. Even when it’s placed on a test dress? That’s what I did to initially test Mari’s Dandelion dress – her website isn’t available anymore.
I’ve always wanted to wear lace for everyday wear but I’ve always considered lace a formal item or for lingerie. How’s that for outdated thinking. I chose the sweetheart neckline dress. The sleeves were an obvious choice to inch a bit of lace into my work wear. Winnie also made a great lace sleeve version.
To make this first dress up quickly, I overlocked the seam edges and used bias for the sleeve hems. There’s not much I had to do to get the neckline and shoulders to fit right. No roll shoulder adjustment or neckline gaps to deal with. The fabric I’ve used is cotton so it’s very crushable. So crushable…
When I saw the fit on Mari’s version, I realised the initial size I chose was probably one size too big. I made the 8. So now after unpicking the side seams and slivering it the size in, it fits much closer. Dandelion has a good amount of ease in it but I love a close fit.
Then I remembered a dark textured purple blue linen fabric (above) from when Janice took me fabric shopping in Portland. This piece was from Mill End Store. It’s got big textured swirls. Yum!
I know you’ve already seen this dress and top appear on the web, as Mari is hosting a blog hop where everyone who’s tested the pattern shows how they’ve used it.
Here’s are the Dandelion testers with their Dandelions posted on their blogs.
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- 2 Sept Rhonda of Rhonda’s creative life
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3 Sept Wanett of Sown Brooklyn
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4 Sept Winnie of Scruffy Badger Time
- today – Moi 🙂
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6 Sept: Lizzie of Sew Busy Lizzie
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9 Sept: Joyatee of Joy and Smiles
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10 Sept: Lisa of Idle Hands- the Ms-Fits’ Workshop
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11 Sept: Brooke of Custom Style
They’re a very creative group and it makes me smile from ear to ear to know I’m in great sewing company. Wanett’s top makes me want to make the top version right now!
velosews 
Great dresses. The lace is so lovely and feminine and the purple is gorgeous. Very nice indeed!
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NICE! I like the purple one on you although the lace one is a pretty cool idea too. The seaming reminds me of some Japanese dress books-very interesting.
I'm really getting into raglan sleeves nowadays. Started when I saw someone refashion tights into raglan sleeves for a tee-no wrinkles or anything because of the oh so stretchyness XD
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Very lovely!
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Two perfect dresses for spring!
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Just the ticket for our lovely Spring weather, both dresses are gorgeous!
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Love that we went lace sleeves together ! Yours is such a gorgeous colour and I love the orange showing through the lace. Really zingy!! And they both show off the lines if the dress nicely too….
Cool frocks!!
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Hmmmm, there is something about this dress that makes us all want to sew lace. Before I saw Scruffybadger's and your creation, I too was thinking about doing the sleeves and or yoke in lace.
You look lovely as always!!
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Nice use of lace in a day dress – I must be old fashioned because I think of lace as formal wear too, but using small amounts as details like you have is just right to make it less formal
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The purple dress made me laugh. You will see on Tuesday. Both the lace dresses are so cute! I had not thought of lace either, but more of color blocking and piping.
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The lace is a really nice touch — love it!
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What lovely dresses. I especially like the lace-embellished version. The raglan sleeves with sweetheart neckline is a very appealing design.
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I really like it!
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Both dresses are lovely but I love that addition of lace to the first one. I, too have been loving lace and using it this year.
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This dress is getting wonderful reviews – another to add to my list for next summer! Love your lace sleeves – just the right amount of lace.
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Love your lace sleeves that you added!
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The lace sleeves highlight the style lines beautifully! Congrats on your assignment completion….nearly there!
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I love this pattern – and in my new found passion for lace – love the lace sleeves.
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Very inspiring combination of pattern, lace and fabric. The purple version is so striking. Mari will be proud of you!
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They're lovely! Thanks for testing and sharing – I do like this pattern!
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They are all lovely dresses.
The links all appear to be broken – does Mari still have a website?
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Actually Mari doesn’t have the website anymore.
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