Yes, Another One, Part Five Billion: McCall’s 6886

So, remember how I was all, “I need separates, and I, like, never wear dresses right now”? You had to see this coming.

I don’t need a dress, they don’t fit my lifestyle and needs right now, and I already have a bunch of cute dresses I never get to wear.

So of course, I made a dress.

I’m blaming my current LIFO system (Last In, First Out). I’m working through my stash because I don’t have room for any more, and it’s super hard to get to the store to buy new fabric. (Baby JuJu has not yet acquired a taste for slowly browsing the aisles.) Instead of saving all my cool fabrics for the “just right” inspiration and occasion and only sewing with fabrics of last resort that are “okay” to ruin, I’m going after my newer fabrics first. We’ll see how long this system lasts, but it’s super fun and liberating for the moment! Sew up all the nice fabric!

This is the face you make when your baby is giving you raspberries…

I bought this fabric intending to make a maternity… something. I don’t remember. I clearly never got around to it. I’ve cycled through love, disgust, mild interest, and back to fondness with this piece. I really like the scale of the print, but something about it feels lowbrow to me. Also, it reminds me of pool tile. Either way, I had considered everything from a basic t-shirt to pillowcases to make the most of this knit piece. But after further inspection (this was the “mild interest” phase), I realized I didn’t want to chop up the pattern with any seams, or a project too small to showcase the full effect.

I got my back and front prints to line up pretty perfectly for once!

With a bit of sheepishness at how boring I am, I opted to make a 6886 out of this: no seams, nice and lengthy, and super basic to show off the print. I took a bit of inspiration from Clover Canyon, which uses crazy-ass prints to great effect, and noticed that streamlined, simple silhouettes were their common thread. While this dress might be more “Clover Canyon by way of a cheap strip mall shop,” I still dig it.

Close up of the print. And my wrinkles.

So while dresses are not my thing right now, I’ll make an exception. To paraphrase Emily Dickinson, the fabric wants what the fabric wants. It’s soft, comfy, and effortless — and those definitely are my thing right now. I’ll find excuses to wear it, probably for some afternoon outings with the husband.

No updates to the pattern. I used the exact same edits I made with the first black ponte knit version I sewed last year. This was SUPER EASY to sew up, which is a big deal to me right now. I was able to finish this off quickly, and feel satisfied and successful, like I’m back in the groove. Not too many things in my life are back in the groove right now (seriously, we just started solids, and everything is covered in butternut squash puree), so this really was a perfect project.

Nothing to see here, folks. I have zero tips, inspiration, or advice. Just a cute dress, in a cute print, asking you to like it.

Loving the pattern placement, even if it’s slightly boobtacular

A slightly dubious welcome to you, my Forcefully Insistent Pool Tile Print Dress!