Double Bubble Pink! A Dress from Simplicity D0657 and a Bodysuit from Simplicity 8435

I recently purchased this 100% cotton double knit, double bubble gum pink fabric at Stone Mountain and Daughter in Berkeley, California to make a muslin for dress I planned to sew using Simplicity D0657 pattern. I found this fabric upstairs where all of the fabric is half price.  So not only was it the fabulous quality that Stone Mountain and Daughter is famous for, it was a great deal!  I bought 2.5 yards.  I selected this fabric not for the color, but because it is exactly the same cotton double knit as the striped fabric from which I will make the final dress.  I purchased the striped fabric at Stone Mountain and Daughter on the main floor. If you are a fan of French brands Saint James or Armour Lux, you’ll love the striped cotton knits at Stone Mountain and Daughter! I happen to love pink, so this purchase of this muslin fabric was a win-win for me!

Originally I planned to make the long sleeve version of this dress, but then I thought it might look more like a nightgown instead of a dress, so I altered the sleeves to come right to my elbows and I added a curve to the waist of the dress, bringing it in about three inches from the original silhouette.

The dress was simple to make. I used my Viking serger for the main seams. I used my Bernina’s hemstitch foot and stitch setting for the hem. I referenced Life of Janine’s blog post on attaching a neck binding to make a neck binding that lays flat and was easy to sew.  This is a really great post that Janine put together!

What I discovered from making this muslin was that I love this cotton double knit fabric and the dress! However it isn’t the right pattern for the blue and white stripe double knit fabric that I had planned to use. I am so glad I made this muslin; the final striped dress will be exactly what I want. I love this pink dress, even though it is a muslin. It’s perfect for a casual warm, arid day in the California sunshine. I know I’ll use this pattern again. It is easy and it makes a great casual dress.

I had a little over a yard of this fabric left over after making the muslin dress and this shade of pink matched a number of skirts I’ve made. So I decided to use the remaining fabric to make a sleeveless bodysuit using my tried and true pattern, Simplicity 8435. You can read more about other bodysuits I’ve made with this pattern by clicking on this link: Base Layer Bodysuit – Simplicity Pattern 8435

Below is the bodysuit with a reversible skirt I made from Love Jill patterns.  I wear this skirt often and now I will wear it even more because I have this top that matches both sides perfectly.

Sewing this bodysuit reminded me of another reason why I love making my own clothes – I can add embellishments, like this lingerie picot elastic, which I used along the leg openings.

The original neckline for this pattern has a Henley placket with snaps, which I love.  But this time, I made a scooped neckline that I drafted myself.  Again, I followed Janine’s tutorial (link is above).

In keeping with the pink theme, I’ll share a picture of peonies that I painted for my parents 60th wedding anniversary while I was sewing these two garments.

This project emphasized to me how important it is to take the time to make a muslin to ensure perfect fit and to confirm that the pattern and fabric are the right match,  The added bonus this time was a new dress that I love and a bodysuit which fills a need in my wardrobe.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog!  Please leave me your thoughts in the comments section below. I love to hear from you!  Merci et au revoir!