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4.13.2014

Frolicking in a Field of Poppys

What's this? Back to back poppy print dresses? Oh yeah, I think we all need another hit of pretty poppy goodness. Just shield your eyes from the glare coming off of my lily white legs. Ahhhh it burns, quick find me some sunglasses!!!
Everyone have their protective eye wear in place?  Good, good, then I can show you this. Poppies precious, so many poppies!
Dipped hem Heather?  Did you go and make another Flora skirt? Guilty as charged.  To say that I've been jonesing to make another Flora would be putting it mildly. Instead of going the TNT pattern repeat route,  my brain was all, "Let's switch things up and make something fun and semi impracticable."  Just like that a plan was hatched to do a little BHL pattern mixing and matching.
Yep, it's the Elisalex bodice with it's gorgeous neckline and sleeves for those of us with reptile blood.  Wooo Hooo, I'm only partially freezing in these pictures and there was a nice patch of sunlight out of frame. Mmmm warm me sunshine, but don't burn my pasty flesh.

For this smaller sized Elisalex bodice I did all of the same pattern alterations as the first time, with the exception of increasing the diameter of the sleeves. One new change was made, the front of the sleeve cap was flattened to compensate for the 3/8" taken out of the front princess line seam. Here I was wondering why there was so much ease in the front sleeve with a forward shoulder adjustment made.  Ummmm because you removed 3/4" of armhole diameter without adjusting the sleeve Heather. Ooops.
The good news for those of you who also like bodice/skirt swamping is that the Elisalex/Flora patterns don't need much tweaking to fit together well.  I sewed a size 10 for both pattern parts and found the Flora skirt to be around 1/2" bigger in the front then the Elisalex bodice.  It was then a simple process to make the knife pleats a little deeper so that the circumferences matched up.  The back circumferences were the same to begin with, but I moved the box pleat over an 1" or so to match up with the princess seam line.
All pleat adjustments were done on the fly while attaching the skirt to the bodice.  The proper way would have been to check the patterns and adjust them before cutting out the fabric.  But I'm all for truth in sewing and doing it the lazy way work out just fine. Don't tell the sewing goddess lest she smite me.

Now about this fabric, it's a Milly cotton sateen with.......wait for it.....an ivory background.  Past Heather really had an ivory background buying problem.  This fabric should have gone in the "give to other people with warm complexions" pile.  But as you can see I greedily held on it it cause poppies and reasons related to poppies. I hope you can forgive me.
Overall I'm pretty pleased with this pattern mash-up.  The one thing I would change is to slightly lower the front portion of the dipped hem.  Because the front seemed short, a very narrow rolled hem was used to preserve as much length as possible.  I still get the feeling that a pair of poppy modesty shorts might be needed for getting out of cars and stiff winds.  I see London, I see France, I see your underpants, you hussy! So sorry, that's my inner grandma talking. Go bake me some poppy seed cake grandma and keep your opinions to yourself. Mmmmm caaaaaake.

39 comments:

  1. Floralex is gorgeous! What is it about BHL patterns that make them so mashupable. Love the fabric, I think it's very pretty on you.

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  2. Wit woo! You look fantastic and I love the floralex poppy!

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  3. I love this on you! It's so, so pretty! The front and back necklines are both really flattering on you. :)

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  4. You look amazing and full of spring.
    Your weight loss is very apparent , made me think seriously about losing baby weight.

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  5. Ah, great minds! I haven't made a true Flora yet but have merrily spliced her skirt onto Elisalex's sleeveless bodice. I also did the skirt pleats when attaching the skirt rather than working it out on paper - worked perfectly. My hem has been hanging for over 24 hours so I really need to sew that sucka and take some photos!

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  6. Love it :) the mash up looks fab and the print is gorgeous

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  7. White legs are excusable this time of year (though mine seem to be white all year!). This dress looks great on you and poppies are perfect for spring/summer. I love how you mashed up two patterns together

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  8. Thanks Katie. I think because the BHL patterns combine both classic and trendy style lines in their patterns, it makes it easy to pull out bits and resemble.

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  9. Thanks Jo. For some reason I never thought of Floralex. That is so fun to say. heeee heee.

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  10. Thanks Ginger. The necklines are my favorite part too.

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  11. Thank you Laheeb. I honestly didn't think I'd ever lose the baby weight, but finally found a workout program that worked for me. Also helps that my little one doesn't wake me up all the time now. ;)

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  12. Haa haa Thanks VickiKate, I love that you decided to mash these two patterns as well. Saw on instagram that you used the "home sewing is easy" fabric. That's going to be soooo cool.

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  13. Thanks Sian, couldn't let go of that print. It was just too pretty to share. ;)

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  14. Thank you Kristin. I too have the white legs all year thing despite the sun's power. At least we can get away with it for a little while longer. ;)

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  15. The dress is gorgeous and you look equally gorgeous in it. I'm thinking I really might need the Elisalex.....

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  16. As long as you wear poppy panties granny will be happy. Or at least not to critical! Seriously pretty neckline on that dress, Heather B. And would you please explain why you have to make me look like a total slacker with your INSANELY productive sewing? How many freakin' dresses have you made in the past week? Possibly two? I hate you.

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  17. Thanks Gaye. I have nothing but good things to say about the Elisalex bodice. Can I tempt you into a pattern purchase. ;)

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  18. Haa haa haaa!!! You love hate me, I know it! If it makes you feel better the first poppy dress was done for weeks. You know how getting pictures is sometimes a real pain in the ass. I'll go sew some poppy panties now because it's what granny would want. Thanks Maris!

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  19. Again, GORGEOUS. Now I'm adding both Flora and Elisalex to my wishlist...

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  20. Gorgeous! Love the poppy print.

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  21. True that, I DO love/hate you HeatherB! smooches!

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  22. another beautiful dress! love how you combined the two patterns, so gorgeous!

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  23. LOVE LOVE LOVE! You look so pretty in this dress regardless of it's color. Speaking of it's color I LOVE IT!! I feel spring through my screen....

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  24. I'm loving this so much!!!! I'm speechless.

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  25. There can never be too many poppies! You look gorgeous and I don't see a problem with you wearing ivory. This is a great mashup and you're seriously going to need to crash some weddings and red carpets with all these beautiful dresses you've been making! Ahh - poppy seed cake! My best friend's grandma used to make the best poppy seed cake. Boy I miss that!

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  26. Love this! The fabric is so beautiful, and both patterns are so great.

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  27. Thanks Barbara. Milly print for the win again. :)

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  28. Thank you Lisa. My little pattern mashing brain thought these two might look good together. Glad it worked out since I didn't muslin. Gasp!

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  29. Thanks Emily. It is soooo spring! Probably why I couldn't part with it. Though in the future I will leave the ivory backgrounds for you.

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  30. Thanks Margo! It like having a mini train. Love that feeling. :)

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  31. Thank you Shar. Hey how about you sew a couple fun dresses and we can reenact "Wedding Crashers" with more cake. Frog says yes to the cake.

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  32. Thank you Laura. I need gorgeous fabrics to get in some more Milly. My stash is getting low!

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  33. I think this dress is soooo pretty. It probably won't be a dress to hop in and out of the car in but definitely a tea party dress. if you ask me everyone needs a dose of their inner grandma :-)

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  34. Thanks Sandra. I'll just have to remember to keep my knees together when exiting cars. It's what my inner grandma told me to do. :)

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  35. www.tresbienensemble.comApril 16, 2014 at 2:19 PM

    I just got a contact high from all those poppies! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the fabric. This pattern mash-up is really fabulous!

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  36. Hee hee fancy smacy for all my vacuuming. Maybe I should take all the froggies out on the town. I think we could demolish a dessert menu together.

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  37. Haa haaa I love the thought of a fabric contact high. "I'm not not licking fabric." Thanks Michelle!

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  38. I love both your poppy dresses, but out of the two this one is my fave. That high low hem and the sweet neckline are so pretty.

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  39. Poppylicious

    SSB. https://facebook.com/sassysewingbees

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