October 14, 2016

Where I needed a quick fix

Hello there.
I hope you are all doing fine and adjusting to the changing weather of this lovely October. Today it's the first day of autumn rain in Toulouse, so it seems about right to present the last of my summer makes.

It has rapidly become on of my favourite dresses. It's the Rumi Tank by Christine Haynes.
She recently released this dress as the first of the collection "Chop chop make it today": it is supposed to be a series of quick to make PDF patterns.


This one was quick indeed! Let's start by saying that I have bought it immediately as I saw it, already with a fabric in mind from my stash, and the association has worked perfectly. Sewing time has been very little and satisfation quite big, so a great deal altogether.


Rumi is a tank dress with gracious fit and feminine shape, designed for lightweight knits. Neckline and armholes are finished by bias binding. It features the typical racerback tank shape at the back, which sits nicely on the shoulder blades, and a scoop neckline at the front, very feminine but not too revealing.


The shape and look can change a lot accordingly to the choosen fabric. In my mind I saw it as the perfect project to finish up some fabric leftovers from my first (and last) online fabric shopping. It has not been a very successful one, since the weight of this brown fabric turned out to be too thin for the sportswaear I intended to sew. On the other hand, it is great for a swishing dress with simple style lines.


The dress has an optional wide hem band, which you can make in contrast fabric. I wanted an all brown look but could not fit the long pattern pieces on my fabric leftovers, so I pieced it anyway and I am happy with the result: I think it adds interest to the hem band, which is something I usually appreciate.


I have made a straight size 14 (thanks to my new measurements, yay) with no patterns adjustments (yay), and I am happy about the final fit (yay yay). The pattern is designed to have negative ease at the shoulders and bust, and positive ease at the waist and hips, great combination if you ask me!


I have been wearing the Rumi dress ever since I made it, because it is comfortable and easy to layer under a cardigan or a scarf. It can be dressed up or down with high heels or ballerinas, and I am sure I will make more of it. It also is the perfect travel dress: as you can see I have made good use of it while sightseeing in Basel one month ago with Chéri.


I like a lot the tank shape, and will make for sure the top version, which is also included in the pattern.