I’m not really sure what to say about this dress…
Ummm, let’s see…oh yeah, it’s RAINBOW BIRDIES!
What more do you want?!
I have rainbow birdies on my front:
I have rainbow birdies on my butt!
Rainbow birdies for EVERYONE! 🙂
And, no kidding, I even bought these shoes especially for his dress! Premeditated shoe buying?! Yup, that’s me!
Okay, I admit I would have bought these shoes anyway because I LOVE shoes! And you would have bought them too, admit it!
Ok, so there is a bit more to say about this dress 😉
It’s from Patrones 309, Camisero Mango #18 but I made a few changes.
I chose this shirt dress pattern because I liked the front detailing and especially the elastic at the back which you can see in the line drawing.
The fabric is a cotton poplin from my favourite store that I love to hate: Spotlight – I really should stop goingthere but I dare YOU to walk away from rainbow bird fabric!
I cut a size 44 and put it all together as per the pattern (excluding the pockets) but the back ended up being very puffy around my shoulder blades, not very flattering at all, and the side seams were being pulled around all funny.
I took the elastic out and unpicked the casing, then I took all the seams in by about 1cm to compensate. This wasn’t enough though since more width was drafted into the back piece for the elastic to take up so I also had to add two long darts for more shaping.
When I tried it on the front looked great but I had some weird stuff happening in the back, strange horizontal wrinkles and puckering. So I played with my seams and darts a few times before I gave up and did the dodgiest fitting fix in the history of sewing…
Ready?
I put the horizontal dart across my bum! Oh yes, and it was magic, first problem solved…then I added a second one across my shoulder blades…I KNOW! You should all unfollow me in shame 😉
I know this is the kind of fix that works at the paper pattern stage but I was well beyond that, I’m a fit-on-the-fly kind of girl and all I wanted was my pretty birdie dress to be done.
I don’t even mind and you can’t really see the extra darts in the busy print, you guys only know they are there because I’ve told you, and shown you close up photos 😉
Oh yeah, and you may have noticed I chopped the sleeves off too, there is enough happening on this dress without the need for fancy pants sleeves.
So, happy kiwi and her colourful friends! What’s the dodgiest fitting/sewing fix you’ve ever done?
the curious kiwi 
Love your whole outfit Mel! The mint shoes are too cute and I love a bird on everything. And if they are coloured in rainbows? Even better.
My next dress (just needs hemming) is birds too – Love them on dresses, too cute, and yes, the more colourful the better! 🙂
Hi from San Francisco! I love your “put a bird on it ” Rainbow bird dress. You did a wonderful job and it looks fantastic on you.
Thanks Jennifer, lovely to hear from you all the way over there xx
Nice save of that lovely birdie fabric on the back of the dress, you are right that no one would know any different.
It’s our little secret 😉
Dodgy fitting be damned – this frock is straight up beautiful!
Yeah! 🙂 Thanks hun xx
This is gorgeous, I’m so pleased you finished it! Its fabulous, fun, and ZOMG SHOES. I really want to make my length up now!
Ohh yesss! Then we can have matchy matchy photos 🙂
That would be fun!
Love love love! The fabric, the dress and the colourful birds flying around your head! And those shoes are just perfect, definitely would have bought those!
Pretty birds and shoes for everyone! 😀
Birds and interesting fixxs whats not to like! As for those shoes, I ask why have I not been to Welly shoe shopping lately?? My most dodgy fix is stapling the last bits of a ball dress together 20 minutes after we were supposed to be there!!! Worked like a charm and did not do a Cinderella at 12.
Ahh staples, I may have been there once 😉
What a fix! But it works and looks great. The rainbow birdies are so happy and cheerful. Bring on more I say! Hey, I’ve some great bright blue and bright pink wedges that would like great with this dress too 😉
Ohh wedges you say…hmmm, maybe I need a pair of shoes for each birdie colour? 😉
Oh and your dress is great!
Haha I have a whole repertoire of dodgy fixes in my past but am trying to change my ways! You sort of have to embrace Spotlight as there are not too many alternatives here. I always wonder what they do with all the last season patterns… I think I need to make friends with the staff.
It’s only dodgy if you tell someone 😉 Anyway, I reckon, as long as it ends up fitting it’s all good!
What a great photo with all those Cinderella birdies. I soooo get the shoes! (sssh don’t tell everyone, but do you get dress in the morning after deciding which shoes to wear or am I still the only weirdo that does that?). Nice alterations to the dress btw, the shape looks great on you.
You are not the only weirdo 😉 shhh! It can be our little secret…I’m glad everyone recognises the birds from Disney
Love the dress – and the shoes! The shoes! No-one will ever know about those naughty extra darts 😉
Hehe, thanks, secret naughty darts, as long as they don’t become too much of a habit 😉
cute dress and fab shoes 🙂
LOVE the shoes, great colour, great height etc, and the dress is gorgeous too!
Thanks Liz, I think maybe I should buy shoes to inspire all my dresses! 😉
Love the fabric! Love the dress! Love the shoes! Woo-hoo!
So much love! 🙂 xx
I would like to know where you got those magnificent shoes.
And why have I not seen rainbow birdie fabric in the Spotlight in Hamilton? Shame on you, Hamilton Spotlight. (Though I once got a cotton lawn I LOVE from there and then saw it in a different, super-ugly colourway in Auckland, so I can’t be too rude about it.)
Thanks Lucy, the shoes are last season from Mi Piachi, I fell in love with the colour at once.
Oh no, it’s a shame your Spotlight didn’t have the rainbow birdies! It can be real hit-and-miss there sometimes!
love the dress, so fun I can almost hear you singing “zip-a-dee-do-da, zip-a-dee-day, my, oh my, what a wonderful day”
Haha, I am so glad everyone is getting the Disney reference 😉 I feel like skipping along when I wear this dress
I love this dress! The fabric is so fun. Plus I am drooling over your shoes.
Thanks! I love fun prints 🙂