George + Ginger Malibu dress
2023-Mar-15, Wednesday 05:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chebeAnd now for a rarity on this blog; a dress. But at least it's a 90's style grungy jersey dress. George + Ginger's Malibu dress is two almost identical pieces front and back, but the front has a lower neckline. It comes in two lengths, but the short version seems very short, so I went for regular. You bind the front and back necklines in self-fabric, then bind the armscyes (catching the neckline edges), and continue past the end of the fabric to make straps. Double-folded hem, (very, very long hem) and done.
I made mine in a black bamboo jersey (95% bamboo, 5% spandex), 220 g/m2 weight, which has a surprising amount of weight when it's all just hanging there off those thin straps. But it also gives it a slinky feeling which works for dresses. I made it up in a from-the-pattern size 20/2X, which is to just skim my bust, with almost no stretching. Because, I'm planning on wearing it layered over other clothing pieces, but still want to keep some of the style shape. As a result it can be argued that it's too big. But mostly only if you know how skimpy these dresses used to be. The straps were hard to judge, as they end up stretched quite a bit (especially with this weight fabric; damn right I machine tacked where the straps meet the neckline casings), so they are too long, even though I can probably get away with it. But next time the straps need to be shorter (likely dependent on the stretch in the material used). Pressing and folding thin curling jersey is not a fun way to pass time, but otherwise this is a very usable, and simple pattern to make up.
I made mine in a black bamboo jersey (95% bamboo, 5% spandex), 220 g/m2 weight, which has a surprising amount of weight when it's all just hanging there off those thin straps. But it also gives it a slinky feeling which works for dresses. I made it up in a from-the-pattern size 20/2X, which is to just skim my bust, with almost no stretching. Because, I'm planning on wearing it layered over other clothing pieces, but still want to keep some of the style shape. As a result it can be argued that it's too big. But mostly only if you know how skimpy these dresses used to be. The straps were hard to judge, as they end up stretched quite a bit (especially with this weight fabric; damn right I machine tacked where the straps meet the neckline casings), so they are too long, even though I can probably get away with it. But next time the straps need to be shorter (likely dependent on the stretch in the material used). Pressing and folding thin curling jersey is not a fun way to pass time, but otherwise this is a very usable, and simple pattern to make up.
Close-up of the Malibu dress neckline
Photo by chebe
Finished Malibu dress in black jersey
Photo by chebe
