Consciously creating a beautiful life.





Thursday 26 April 2012

Sewing a house dress


Now that the evenings are getting colder, I am in need of a dress I can lounge around in without it looking
like I am wearing pyjamas. Something comfy, cuddly and warm.

I couldn't find anything that I liked at the shops.

What I did find was a nice, soft, grey, velvety kind of fabric in the reduced bin of a fabric store.

Unfortunately I am crap not the best when it comes to sewing.

So if you know how to sew my methods will probably either alarm or amuse you. But it did get the job done,
and I now have a (grey!) dress for chilly evenings and lazy Sundays.


Here is what I did:



First I looked in my cupboard for a dress that had more or less the form that I wanted.



 I drew the outlines and cut it out:



I also cut out four pieces of fabric for the pockets:



Then I started with the neckline, folding the fabric and sewing it in place (I accidentally rolled it in the wrong way around, so the left side was showing (see what I meant earlier?) but decided then that I liked the effect of the light grey against the darker color:



The left side, or what it was supposed to look like on the right :-):



Then I cut some sleeves, again using another piece of clothing as a guideline:




Then I sewed it all together.

It wasn't quite as quick as this sounds now. The pockets for once had me baffled for a long time. How to do that? Finally I figured it out (after taking the seams I made apart again three times...).


I asked Eva to take some pics, but she was a lot more interested in taking pictures of the puppy:





So I had to take matters into my own hands:



A beautiful Thursday to you!


Love, 


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61 comments:

  1. Jutta, it looks really nice and comfortable! Glad the sewing machine gets some exercise :-). Have a lovely, lovely, lovely evening. Big hug, lots of kisses.

    Love, Esther

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  2. I LOVE this dress and your sewing methods:) I am going to try this for sure.

    ~New follower

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  3. You are a girl after my own heart, this is how I would go about making a dress. Who needs a pattern, right? Love it!!!

    amy @ whilewearingheels.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. And...I just joined bloglovin. I am your newest bloglovin follower.

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  4. You are really talented Jutta! What a lovely house dress! Now I wanted to make this comfy house dress too! I not a good sewer too but I did all my curtain for my home. Well, never try, never know , right! Lots of hugs to you & Eva! :)

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  5. Das sieht superbequem aus. Und grau ist meiner Meinung nach auch eine richtig gemuetliche Farbe! Ich habe ein bisschen Angst davor, mit Jersey zu naehen, ich habe Leute sagen hoeren, das sei ganz schwer, weil der Stoff sich rollt und zieht. Bist du damit einfach zurechtgekommen?

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  6. Totally relate to your sewing methods :-) Looks like Lola loves it too. Want to take orders? Suzi

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  7. looks very comfy!
    and i love all the pictures!
    you are so natural!
    beautiful!

    liebgruss
    eni

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  8. Looks very comfy! I'm always amazed when 'non-sewers' create something without using a pattern or directions. Great job!

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  9. Looks very cozy and fun. Great job!

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  10. This looks great! I made a maxi dress similar to this I agree it's so comfortable! I would love for you to share this at my link party
    http://thewinthropchronicles.blogspot.com/2012/05/share-it-link-party-9.html

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  11. Looks so slouchy and comfy!

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  12. Da ist Dir ein tolles Hauskleid gelungen - obwohl es mir nur für 'at home' viel zu schade wäre. Tolle Fotos übrigens, allesamt...
    Greets,
    Liese

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  13. It looks so comfy! You did a great ob.

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  14. Looks super comfy. I like your way of sewing, it's similar to mine - try out lots of ways and one of them will be right! I've just added pockets to one of my skirts and it took me a while to figure it out! Once I got it I did a tutorial here if you're interested: http://mrslauralynn.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/pockets-and-puff-ball-skirt-refashion.html

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  15. I'm a crappy seamstress, too -- so much so that it would never occur to me to be as daring as you, to just wing it like that! Thanks for the inspiration.

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  16. Comfy dress with elegant style ~ love the puppy too ~ great tutorial and very creative ~thanks, namaste, ^_^

    consider linking up with my Monday blog hop Magical Monday Meme for all creatives of all types ~ ^_^

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  17. Looks super comfy! Thanks so much for linking up to Creative Thursday this week.

    I can’t wait to see what you link up next week. Have a great day.

    Michelle

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  18. Very cute and comfy looking!! TFS!! Your puppy is adorable too!! Stopping by from Fine Craft Guild linky party and a follower.

    Here is what I shared this week: http://craftybrooklynarmywife.blogspot.ca/2012/04/another-coat-for-holly.html

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  19. Super CUTE!!! You make it look so easy! Thanks so much for sharing at Thursday's Temptation.
    Jill

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  20. This looks so comfortable! Thanks for this tutorial! Stopping by from Southern Lovely

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  21. It's wonderful and looks so comfy. A perfect dress for lazying about. hugs and thank you for joining in the hop fun xo

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  22. It looks so comfortable and will be so soft with the velvety fabric. You've done a great job making your own pattern and working it all out. I'm guessing it's going to be well used!!! I would love for you to share this at our ongoing linky that's just for Women's Dresses...
    http://threadingmyway.blogspot.com/2012/01/threading-your-way-dresses-for-women.html

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  23. I love what you made and that you made it without a pattern. Great job.

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  24. I would never get out of that, it looks so comfy!

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  25. You are looking comfy and cozy! And sorry, the puppy is pretty darn cute! You made a dress? A dress...no stinking way! Thanks for linking at the Stinky Linky Party!

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  26. I'd say your sewing is pretty darn good to end up with such a nice comfy dress. Thanks for sharing at our party this week.

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  27. Looks very comfy! I'm also a proponent of not using real patterns (they're a pain), and make nearly all my own dresses by just tracing my other items of clothing. So much simpler, and you know they'll fit right!

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  28. This looks like something I could really cuddle up in - great job!!

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  29. Looks soo comfy!!! Especially a tank top version for the summer! Thanks for linking up to Delicately Constructed Friday!!
    Hope you have a great weekend!
    Michelle
    www.delicateconstruction.com

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  30. Good on you! That's the make do and mend spirit! Green blessings. Lynne

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  31. Looks comfy, perfect for a lazy weekend, which I would like to have now. :)

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  32. That is very interesting! You have a great blog and I look forward to more ideas. I am following and visiting from Katherine's hop. Hope you visit and follow back. Donna

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  33. You have a great site and what a wonderful idea. I am following and visiting from Katherine's hop. Hope you'll follow back. Donna

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  34. I swear my little Biscuit is moonlighting as your dog in these photos ;)

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  35. You did a great job :) Thanks for linking up to Creative Mondays ...

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  36. I LOVE IT!....Can't wait to try it!!!!...You are amazing. Saw it on Motivate me Mondays and thought...that is so cool and clicked on it. Not surprised at all to find that it is from you:):):)
    Kay xxoo

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  37. Jutta ~ thanks so much for linking up with Magical Monday Meme ` so glad to have you there with your beautiful relaxing creation! ~ namaste, ^_^

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  38. Love my house dress, but could totally use another! Thanks for sharing!

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  39. You make sewing look so easy! :) great idea and such a cute dress!

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  40. It looks so comfy. I like the sewing method - you make it sound so easy!

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  41. this is soooo good ! love it !

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  42. Sehr gemütlich!!
    LG vom KleinenLieschen

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  43. I love the way this came out. The puppy is adorable so I don't necessarily blame Eva. Thanks so much for sharing at Whimsy Wednesdays.

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  44. Oh my is this adorable and it looks so comfortable! Thanks so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday :)

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  45. This looks so soft and comfy - I wouldn't want to get off the couch!

    Thanks for sharing at Beautify it Monday, Come back and see us soon!

    -Four Sisters

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  46. This looks so comfy, my kind of a dress(outfit). I live in sweatpants if Im not at work or having to go anywhere. The fabric looks so soft too!
    Thanks for linking up to our Sunday Round Up link party. Hope to see you again this weekend :)
    xoxo
    Heather

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  47. I have NO idea how I missed this post...but..I love it! Looks so comfy and casual! You know I don't think I'm that familiar with my sewing machine....yet! Love those dog pictures too! (And you look marvelous!)

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  48. Even though you say your sewing skills are lacking, your dress turned out terrific. And it looks so comfortable.

    Thanks for linking to Time Travel Thursday. Hope to see you this week.

    Blessings,
    Liz @ The Brambleberry Cottage

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  49. So funny story, I saw the last picture on this post on a linky party and got all excited because I thought you were missing a hand. ha #fail. (I don't have a hand, which is why it would be exciting for me). But even so, I'm glad I clicked over because this tutorial is genius! I have been looking for a comfy nightgown with sleeves (non-sexy) for so long but with no luck so this is seriously exactly what I need. Thanks so much.

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  50. I just love this and the rest of your site and the parent site- it's been a joy to explore them:-) Thank you very much Jetta, for sharing this with us on Seasonal Celebration Sunday! Rebecca @ Natural Mothers Network x

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  51. Wow, I can just feel how soft your dress is looking at it. Great job!

    Thanks for linking up at Feature Friday FREE-FOR-ALL!

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  52. hallöchen
    jutta

    ein schönes kuscheliges kleid hast du da gemacht!
    and the way you did, is the same, that i like to do many things.
    enjoy it on your sofa with the puppy ;-)
    i look forward to see more...
    ute

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  53. Hi Jutta...hope all is well:D *love* this and wish I had to lounge around the house on my day off!

    Chandra
    astylishlittlelady.com

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  54. This is sooo cute!! I found your blog on Pinterest. I saw the pin about the "one cloth- five ways" and I cannot wait to get the fabric to do it!! This dress is great and you are inspiring me to sew again :) I saw that you live in Nambia!! Africa is VERY dear to my heart and I have been to Kenya . Thanks for sharing!!

    Allie

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