Okay people repeat after me “always check your pattern pieces before you cut your fabric”…one more time “always check your pattern pieces before you cut your fabric!” This purple Kate Spade dress is honestly one of the cutest dresses I have made all summer. I love the way it turned out. It’s the cute, quirky, mod style that to me it is quintessential Kate Spade. However, making this little gem was a big pain in my A!
Pattern – Purple Kate Spade Dress
Alright, let’s start at the beginning. Someone in one of the sewing FB groups I’m in made this dress, and I HAD to find the pattern. I mean look at it…it’s ADORABLE! No problem I hopped over to Etsy, where I usually find most of my vintage patterns, and scooped one up. Now, sizing on a pattern can be tricky to figure out, especially vintage ones. However, I have made enough of them to know what size I take that will leave me with the least amount of alterations.
Not only is it a very cute dress, but it is also a Jiffy pattern. That is a type of pattern made by Simplicity which indicates that it’s easy and fast to make. Get it? You can make it in a Jiffy. Great marketing on their part, because I believed I could whip this cute little dress up in a Jiffy! Not the case with this pattern.
Ninety percent of the time when you buy a vintage pattern it’s been cut and used. Every once in a while you get one that isn’t, but it’s rare. Anyway, I have never had a problem with purchasing vintage patterns. People who sell them are very good about making sure all the pattern pieces are enclosed.
Fabric – Purple Kate Spade Dress
So here I am all ready to go. I have this awesome purple Kate Spade fabric and I am so excited to quickly make this dress. Yes, this is in fact another Kate Spade tablecloth. It was purchased on Amazon, and it is the same pattern as this tablecloth, but in a different color, and I couldn’t love more! I used the pink version to make this dress, and this skirt.
I didn’t make a muslin this time because, duh I know my size and it’s going to take me no time at all to sew this bad boy up so why bother? Yep, that was a mistake.
After holding up the front pattern piece to my body I decided I wanted to make it shorter. So, I cut a couple of inches off the front and back of the fabric.
After cutting the fabric and sewing it all together I realized the back was shorter than the front. Like, significantly shorter. So short that when I sat down it was nothin’ but bare butt on the chair. ARE YOU KIDDING ME! How did I manage to do that?
Always Check Your Pattern Pieces Before you Cut Your Fabric
The pattern comes with two different neckline options. A round neck and a V neck. That means there are two different front pattern pieces. One for each neckline, BUT there is only one pattern piece for the back.
I opted for the V neckline. Whoever made the pattern before me used the round neckline and decided to shorten the pattern as well. So when I shortened the pattern pieces the back had already been shortened…hence an uneven dress.
On top of all that pattern nonsense the size of the pattern was all off! I always, always, always wear the same size in a vintage Simplicity pattern, but apparently not this one. The top was too big, and it was too tight around my hips. Ugh! As if this project couldn’t get anymore annoying. Re-fitting the dress wasn’t that big of a deal, but this project turned out to be NOT very jiffy AT ALL!
The Ruffle
I didn’t plan on putting a ruffle on this dress, I swear! It looks very cute without it, and if I have some time I want to make another one that is the appropriate length without a ruffle. However, I didn’t have enough tablecloth to make a whole other back piece so I opted for the ruffle.
I will say it does look very cute with the ruffle so I’m not to angry about the end result.
Styling – Purple Kate Spade Dress
I kept it simple, with old silver strappy shoes from ASOS, and a white clutch from Amazon. Oh, and my white Bon Bon earrings. Can’t forget about those! (less expensive version here).
Photos
So we have a new photographer here at Roxbury Place. It’s my son Sam. My regular gal is in Canada and not sure when she will be back so, tag he’s it! So far so good. I have to say he did a pretty good job for an 11 year old. He may have earned himself a permanent job!
Thanks for reading. Hope your having a good week!