Turning my back on black, it’s time to bring out the color. I went back to the embroidered Indian fabric I originally bought for a skirt, in March, when the weather was still cold. I wanted more than a skirt. Plus, I haven’t been sewing in a few weeks (other projects took over my attention) so I needed something light and easy to get back into it.
I chose what is becoming my standby, my “Wear the Shift” pattern:
I laid the pattern out right along the lace edging of the fabric, to use the fabric’s border as a hem. And since it was scalloped on both sides, I cut the strip of scallops off the opposite side to use that, as well, as a double-layered scallop. Since the lace needed to be fully lined, anyway, I attached the second strip of lace to the hem of the lining underneath.
It’s bright, it’s summery, it’s decidedly not black, and all of that is good. However, reading sewing blogs has made me paranoid about wrinkles, and this dress definitely wrinkles. If wrinkles point out areas of poor fit, then something is surely off, here, which is troubling, because this is my custom built-for-me dress pattern that I’ve made a half dozen times. It could be the way the lace lays over the lining, or it could be the way the grain shifted slightly as I lined the pattern up by the hem rather than the true grainline…or it could be a few added pounds. It’s difficult to say for sure, except the one sure thing I am learning in this project is that “fit is hard”.
And even the old “tried and true” can throw you for a loop, when you’re getting all creative with it.
handmademess 
Very pretty. I like the lacy hem and the colour makes your hair pop!
Thanks!
Before you doubt your pattern, please know that differences in fabric can affect fit from the same pattern. I have learned this the hard way and then had it validated with a sewing instruction DVD I bought from Threads magazine. I would alter my pants paper pattern to get it just right for the next time. And the fit would be worse. Drove me crazy until I started over and found out the pattern was fine. The only difference was the fabric. You may want to check that out and see if it helps.
Good point. Each project is an experiment, no matter what!
Using the edge was cool- but adding a double scallop- totally frisky. LOve the color too.