Maxxed Out

So the maxi is in this year as you all probably know.
Not sure how I personally feel about it.....still....

I am 6' 2" and that is a whole lot of fabric if I make myself a dress that almost hits the floor.  Plus (no offense Mom if you are reading this) our mom has always worn a "house dress" as she calls it when she is just hanging out at home in the evening and this sort of reminds me of that.  I'm just not sure I can or want to go there.  You know what I mean?

With that being said I still bought McCall's M6552 pattern.  It doesn't seem so much like a house dress when the pattern envelope has "FASHION STAR" written on it in big bold letters and the model is all glammed up in strappy sandals and chandelier earrings.

I started with a swim cover-up dress for me first before making something from this pattern that I'd wear out and about.

My girls, however, have none of my qualms.

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McCall's M6552

Showing off a bit

• Border print fabric--with the amount I had purchased (2 yds. I think, because this was originally going to just be a skirt) we were limited on the length we could make.
• Shortened version and took very small hem.  If it was long enough or just close you could also just add some navy bias tape to edge the hem or a wide fabric band in a contrasting color.  I actually tried to get her to add a navy band to the bottom, but she didn't want to.
• Instead of a drawstring we just put in elastic at the waistband.
• I have to say that the pattern pic of this dress shows the model wearing ONLY the dress.  After making it 3x, with 3 different kinds of fabric, I am not sure how you could wear it that way. Really!  It is cut SO deep and regardless of your sized bosoms or your modesty comfort level it seems that you'd be flashing people all over the place with this dress unless you had a tank or cami underneath.

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Simplicity 2437 is what I used for my 9 yr. daughter.
Top version

• Fabric from the stash.
• Embellished with white rickrack and orange 1/2" single fold bias tape also from the stash.
• Sewn in white "cami" made from white interlock.  She didn't want to actually wear a shirt under it, just look like she was.
• Although she hasn't worn this shirt much I'm confident she will once school starts in September.  Especially after I purge her clothes of ratty tees.

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Maxi Version

• Thrifted floral sheet--love this fabric.
• Double fold 1/4" bias tape (from the stash) to edge neckline and hem.
• Adjusted pattern to desired hem length.
• She says she may use this for her swimsuit cover-up.  That will probably change if I add a little piece at the neck so it appears she is wearing a shirt underneath.

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After making these I found this piece of fabric while Tiffany and I were shopping one day and decided this would be an awesome maxi skirt--with a pretty brown top.

I bought 1 1/3 yds. thinking that would be plenty to go around me.  And it would have been great, except that once I brought it home, washed and dried and then got ready to cut it I realized that it wasn't cut straight at all.  So I lost about 4 or 5 inches off the width--maybe more once I got it all lined up.  I would have preferred it a little bit looser at the hem, more A-line cut, but oh well.

It is also a border print too--so that limited the direction of cutting, etc.  This piece was a bit interesting too as it is a 4-way stretch (similar to swim fabric) but the majority of the stretch ended up being vertical--stretching from waist to hem.

I just added a yoga style band at the top and it is super comfy.  

Tee pattern Simplicity 1808--same as daughter #1's top here.

This pic makes the bottom of the hem look super tight, but it isn't this much.

The first time I wore this hubby and I went out on a date.  His comment, "Do I need to dress up?"

"No, just trying to remind you why you said yes when I first asked you out."

Although it looks like raglan sleeves, this top has dolman sleeves--sleeves and front/back are all one piece.