It’s that time of year again, but it seems hard to get into the holiday spirit this year. Life has been crazy, and we haven’t had time to really breathe, let alone prepare for a holiday! It feels like I was just putting together a Halloween costume for my son, and now Christmas is right around the corner.
I am happy to say that I have my holiday dress complete. I used the gorgeous Emerald Rayon Spandex from Phee Fabrics to make the Wanda Wrap Dress from Wardrobe By Me.
I had never made this pattern before, and I will say that there were some challenging moments. However, the results are worth it! This dress is very flattering, and would look great on all body types.
The dress is not a true wrap dress, in that the skirt is fully finished, and only the top wraps closed, which is perfect for ensuring there will be no wardrobe malfunctions with your skirt flying open! The bodice hugs the chest, but since it is a wrap style, you can adjust the neckline to suit your taste – making it more or less modest as needed. The skirt is six-gored, and has a wonderful swing to it. There are four sleeve lengths (long, 3/4, elbow, and short) and even a sleeveless option.
Other pattern features include:
- Layers for printing sizes
- Body and Finished Garment measurements in imperial and metric increments
- Fully illustrated instructions
- Letter and A4 formats
- A0 print shop format included
- 1/4″ seam allowance included
The recommended fabrics are those with great drape, so of course, the rayon spandex from Phee was the perfect choice! You will need from 3 – 3.5 yards of 60″ fabric for this dress.
The most challenging part I encountered, was when I attached the bodice to the skirt. I thought I was being careful to match up and put the correct side on “top”, but after I had serged it all together, I found that was not the case! 😦 It matters, as I previously created a “hole” in the bodice that the wrap tie for the side on the “bottom” would fit through, and now my hole was on the wrong side!
After a few tense moments…I realized that it would be easier to unpick the topstitching on the bodice “hole,” close the seam, and then open a hole on the opposite side than it would be to remove and re-attach the bodice. So, crises averted in about 10 minutes of work! Yay!
All in all, I would say this is an intermediate pattern…you definitely need experience with some more challenging projects in order to tackle this one. However, that being said, I think an adventurous beginner who is willing to go slow and take it step-by-step could easily make this dress!
I didn’t make any adjustments to the dress at all. I am 5’7″ (pattern is drafted for 5’6″) and my measurements placed me into a size 6. I used the 3/4 sleeve.
What are you making for the holidays? I know I still have some sewing to get done, but at least I know what I’ll be wearing, and that alleviates some stress!
Soon it will be time to start baking and wrapping and all that other holiday fun. One of my favorite cookie recipes comes from my husband’s grandmother. She made them every year, and I think she and I were the only ones who ate them. I think she kept making them just for me. She was so happy when I asked for the recipe, so now I’ll share it with you and maybe it will find some new fans!
Happy Holidays!!
Gram’s Christmas Cookies
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 generous cup Crisco
2 cups light brown sugar
6 tablespoons evaporated milk
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chopped dates
1 cup chopped candied cherries and pineapple (about 1/2 cup of each)
Chop the fruits finely. Cream the sugar and shortening. Add the evaporated milk. Add the eggs. Mix together the dry ingredients. Add half the dry mixture. Add the fruits and nuts. Add remaining dry mixture. Dough will be very stiff!
Roll the dough into 3 rolls. Chill overnight in the fridge.
Slice the dough thinly (about 1/2″ thick) and bake at 375-400 F for 8-10 minutes.
Notes: This makes a lot of cookies, but the dough freezes really well.
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