The day I finished the linen(ish) jersey Vogue 1312, a minor miracle happened: my husband and the kids all went to dinner at my brother-in-law’s, and left me home alone.*
MORE SEWING TIME!
Since I was still feeling the love for the linen-flavoured knits (and was about to surrender my new dress to hanging in the shop for a month), I pulled out a bargain centre end piece, maybe 1.5m, of a mystery knit that looks very similar to my lightly-linen knit—though I think it’s mainly, and perhaps entirely, rayon. Also quite raggedy around the selvedges.
Wanting a more typical riff on the handkerchief hem, I grabbed my knit sloper and modified to make it more of a dress length and flaring to a handkerchief hem, kinda like this:
Though I think my width was wider (basically the full width of the fabric, less whatever I lost trimming down the tattered selvedge.) I did this with Oona-esque abandon, drafting it right out on the fabric. It’s not particularly even and I’m not particularly fussed. I was pleasantly surprised to find it’s dress-length, as I wasn’t really expecting more than a tunic. Not complaining.
Once that was cut, I didn’t have enough fabric left for full-length sleeves, so, 3/4 sleeves. Ah, well.
That was some way-too-instant gratification. Also I feel like I could way overdo the handkerchief hems. Just sayin’.
*Let me insert a bit of clarification, here. I love people. I love MY people. But at my core, I’m an introvert. And these days, except for the few minutes in my car to and from work, I’m almost never, ever alone. So when I do get a few hours to myself, it’s like plunging into ice water, like suddenly being able to breathe, like waking up after a long, refreshing sleep. It’s very hard for my extrovert husband to understand, though I know he tries.
Tanit-Isis Sews 
Very nice! Spring is almost really here and summer not far behind! A perfect dress for the coming seasons!
It sure is trying to be spring… a little scary!
Wow. Love the hem! Very clever!
Thank you! Not too much cleverness on my part—it’s one of those styles that comes and goes. 😉
What fun you had! Love your makes – comfortable and rather romantic like your day to yourself! I love that too being another introvert. You describe that so perfectly 🙂
Thank you! It’s amazing how precious that time alone becomes when it’s so scarce. >_<
Hear, hear! About the introversion and need to be alone. AND I am a long-time-reader or your blog and have thoroughly enjoyed your endevours on several areas of sewing. I can see this dress befolkning a wardrobe staple most of the year, with options for layering.
Thank you! It does layer well—here’s hoping for much enjoyment. 🙂
Becoming, of course, not befolkning…
Cute! And the end result for just winging it is pretty darn good! I wish my “winging” attempts came out so well! I’m slowly coming around to the asymmetrical hems, now that they’ve been in style for the last 10 years and are probably nearly on their way out, but that’s how I roll. 😉
I used to be an extrovert, but ever since becoming a stay at home mom/wife, I’ve become very much an introvert. The thought of being home by myself in the quiet very much appeals to me–just think of all the things I could accomplish!!
Interesting! My husband’s an extrovert who’s become a bit of a hermit after years of working some not-very-pleasant service-industry jobs, but he still really seems to come alive in the right social situations. I think having kids takes away so much alone-time and energy that just about anyone needs some solitude to recharge! 😉
That turned out so well! This introvert also is trying to channel her inner Oona. I always think my fabric is too precious to cut into without a tried-and-true pattern that it sits -such a waste. I need to trust more. Thanks for the reminder with that great dress!
Well, it helps that this IS a TNT pattern (and also that it’s fabric I paid $2/m for!)—I’m just modifying it in wild an unpredictable ways. 😉 I was pretty sure that the bare bones would work out. 😀
I definitely feel you on the too-good-to-use fabric—have more than a bit of that myself. 😉