Wednesday, December 4, 2013

The Linen Hawthorn

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Hi there.



I made this one around the end of September, early October. I know it seems strange to for someone living in the Northern Hemisphere to make a linen dress in the fall but its really not. For instance, it was high in the 30's (F) last week, and its high in the 70's this week. And stupid humid.

Construction on this was pretty easy. This was my second Hawthorn, the first was a shirt, as yet unblogged. I added pockets but they are a little too low. I moved them up for my Red October one. I also used larger than called for buttons because this is such a large scale print. Its lovely though, very much lives up to the description of 'watercolor print'. I also did a blind hem, which I got my MIL to help with. I stood on her coffee table so she could pin while my husband, roommate, brother-in-law and uncle helped rearrange her new furniture (which is why the table was in the kitchen).  When they were done, I of course had an audience of snarky commentary. But they all thought the dress was pretty and I had an accurately pinned hem, so.. bonus?




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Check out the sexy collar.
 The other thing I love about this fabric is how little it wrinkles for a linen, and even when it does it just kind of adds to the charm. I mean, come on. LINEN! This stuff is a dream to work with, it presses and shapes well, it behaves under the knife and needle, its breathable and I can wash it myself, though I only partially dry it and then iron while still moist. I got it from Fabric Mart on sale, of course.


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OK, I know you are gonna ask about the shoes. I found them on Amazon a while back and bought them, gently used I later found, because they were similar to Jeffrey Campbell boots that sold out on ModCloth. But they were this hideous gray color and I hated them every time I put them on. So I had a brilliant idea, LEATHER DYE!  Made do and mend, right? I've worn them to work twice with this dress and both times people exclaimed about the shoes. Which is awesome but WHAT ABOUT THIS AWESOME DRESS I MADE YO!?

Pattern: Colette Hawthorn
Fabric: 2.5 yards of linen at $10yrd (half price)
Notions: 14 buttons x .75 each
Time Actively making it: 5 hours
Total Cost: 35.50


hawthornlinenportrait
Happy Lady K
That's all folks! Have you made anything super awesome lately? Tell me about it.

19 comments:

  1. GORGEOUS!!! The dress is beee-you-tiful!!

    But yeah. THOSE SHOES!!! You're a genius, yo.

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  2. Very cute :) super fast sewing too wowzerss :)
    I have a million things to sew, none of which I have started. Ugh

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    1. If you consider those five hours were split up into a whole month and I had already worked out the fitting issues, its not that fast. But thank you! I have a long "to make' list too.

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  3. Absolutely love your dress and your shoes too, but the first thing I noticed was the dress! I really has a Christmas look especially around this time of the year.

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    1. Thanks! I think it works as a year round dress with the right accessories, personally. :)

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  4. everything is fantastic! Including the shoes, now I want to rummage through my shoes to find some to paint. My second hawthorn is still in the queue, hopefully soon she will be on the table.

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    1. If you are using dying leather that's already been dyed you'll need to rub it down with nail polish remover or turpentine first so that the leather dye will take. I can't wait to see your next Hawthorn!

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  5. Perfect outfit! I remember looking at this fabric and just thinking whatever. Obviously I lacked imagination cause I LOVE IT now. Very impressed with your shoe painting too.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! You should have, it truly is amazing fabric. And linen does get softer the more its used.

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  6. SHOES AHOY. Lol I had to laugh at that bit because I was like, 'Those shoes are so awesome!'
    But the dress outshines them. What a great print and a brilliant fit. And how lucky that it's not bad for wrinkling - that always puts me off linen.

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    1. Considering I sit all day and get wrinkles anyway I'm just saying "its part of its charm". I'm sold on linen too much now to let wrinkling stop me. And thank you. :)

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  7. I love this dress! I love the fabric! Great make and definitely the hawthorn I have yet to see.

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  8. I have to agree with everybody - you look gorgeous! That fabric with that dress was an inspired choice. :)

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    1. The fabric spoke to me, who am I to deny fabric?

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  9. Now that's a great dress. You've done a great job chosing a fabulous print and dress style. You look amazing.

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