A Sneak Peek at My Latest Sewing Project
Well, I had hoped to have a better post this week, but this sneak peek of my first completed garment sewing project for the year will have to do. Every time I think I might be able to go outside and do a photo shoot, it starts to snow again. Today it’s a blizzard out there with high winds, so no outdoor photography today!
I started sewing this smoke blue eyelet dress years ago (McCall’s 6696) to wear to the Ladies’ Garden Tea in 2018, but ran into some difficulties, as usually happens with garment construction. So I sat it aside, and then it no longer fit, and the years went by, but I tried the bodice on a couple of months ago and it fit pretty well, so, it was time to resurrect the project.
This is the inspiration board I made on Milanote with my ideas. Originally I had been planning for floor length and sleeveless, but then it morphed into sleeveless and knee length like Skeeter’s dress on the top left, from the film “The Help” (That dress of hers is my favourite in the film!). Then I decided I didn’t really want sleeveless, so then I considered elbow length sleeves like the turquoise shirtwaist dress I’m wearing in the bottom left. But as you will see in the sneak peek above, I didn’t really end up doing any of those sleeve options! The dress ended up with short cap sleeves with a narrow cuff. I had plenty of other ideas, including a keyhole with a tie, but this is the one that won out as after playing around with the mock-up I realized that a simple sleeve suited the shirtwaist collar of the dress the best.
Even though the inspiration board didn’t really end up being reflected in the final garment, it was still so helpful to have a place to collect all those images and write down all the ideas to keep track of them.
And to see what the dress looks like on…well you’ll just have to wait until the snow melts and Spring decides that it’s time to come out, and I then I can finally wear it!
Have you had a project that passes through many ideas before settling on one that looks nothing like your inspiration board?
April 24, 2026 @ 2:36 pm
If it’s any consolation, I’m still wearing my thermal underoos and fleece while being tucked under a blanket. I’m hoping mid May will bring some sign of spring. I adore the eyelet fabric and I can’t wait to see how the dress turned out. I always add a bit of sleeve to my shirts and/or dresses that I make. When you’re an ancient like me you’ll understand. Have a good weekend.
April 25, 2026 @ 1:57 pm
Stay warm! ❤️