Spring into Strawberry Season

We know how to celebrate the spring strawberry harvest around here! My motto is, every event, holiday and special occasion is dress making time!

The Fabric.

I love a challenge and while on our road trip to Ann Arbor I found this beautiful fabric called, Flower, Strawberry and Panda by Cotton Kobayashi. The fabric was imported from Japan and sadly there was only one and a half yards. There are not many dresses you can make with only one and a half yards. Most shirts take three yards of fabric.

Strawberry Festivities of the Past

: 2015

: 2016

: 2017

: Puerto Rican Strawberry Pie

: Chocolate Covered Strawberries

: Jessie Wenzler’s Patch Picking 2017

This Years Dress.

I knew a fitted sheath dress could be done with one and a half yards. A strapless, fitted bodice, with a gather just below the knee – pencil skirt style was this years plan. Pattern McCalls 4829 hack time!

Alterations to the Pattern.

The skirt had 7 panels and I joined them to make 3 wider panels. I widened the waistline just a bit to add a soft, slightly gathered look. I did not do the straps. To keep the dress up I added interfacing to the entire bodice. I also considered boning and elastic in the back to help, although my Japanese twill was thick on its own, but I didn’t do it. Last, I altered the top bust neckline just a bit to give it the sweetheart look.

I have made this dress so many times I did not need instructions or measuring for fit. I was able to make this years dress in less than 2 hours including cutting time.