Hallo. Hallo. August has been anything but lazy chez A Colourful Canvas. It’s been weekend getaways, beach days, and eating all the ice cream days {which in my case is So Delicious Coconut Almond Bars}. And, as if that hasn’t been enough, there’s been not one but two sewing community socials buzzing along this month as well.

The Sewcialists Sew Style Hero Month (previously Tribute Month) can be found on Instagram @sewcialists  and hashtag #sewstylehero as well as on their newly revamped blog, www.thesewcialists.com. The parameters are generous….share a make inspired by a style hero. Yep…it’s just that easy.

Braugust has also caught my attention this year. Organized by @tailormadeshop, it’s an IG exclusive…each day has a themed prompt…all things lingerie and swimwear related. The hashtag is #braugust2018. Sigh…so much pretty. I managed to sew up some underthings and I’ve nearly finished my #2018makenine swimsuit due to all the inspiring makes I’ve been seeing.

But…back to today…and we’re all about Sew Style Hero.

When asked to define my personal style, I usually reply classic with a twist. The description is intentionally slightly vague…I like to leave myself some wiggle room for experimentation. A small window of potential. A pie in the sky hope of one day reaching an unattainable fashion goal. Wot…what’s that you ask? Well, that’d be my secret hankering to be French Girl Chic. I don’t actually expect I’ll ever be French Girl Chic….but #stylegoals….just sayin’. I know the reality. I live it. I can’t say no to whimsical prints and fruity colour palettes. But. The dream is real people.

Photo above right courtesy of My Small Wardrobe

One blogger that inspires me greatly with her effortlessly chic and unique perspective is Carelia of My Small Wardrobe. IMO she has a great sense of style and proportion and she adds just the right amount of unexpected or playfulness or….the je ne sais quois…to her outfits.

Simple maybe, but her blue and white striped t-shirt dress had me at hello. She’s featured it twice on her blog, here and also here.  Her first post, playfully titled My Effortful Attempt to French Style, hints at her sense of humor.

So yes. I like the dress. A lot. So much so, that I decided to dust off my pattern drafting skills and give making my own version a go.

Photo above right courtesy of My Small Wardrobe

At first glance, the pattern looked fairly straightforward to knock out. I mean..it’s a J Crew knit dress with a simple shape and no closures.

But….I gotta tell ya…that underarm/sleeve piece was a puzzle piece that had me scratching my head. I did figure it out….woot…with major help from Carelia’s photo above right. I’m sure she had no idea how helpful that detail shot would prove to be for a sewing blogger. {If you’re wondering…the top of the side panel is V shaped and the sleeve pattern piece is also V shaped.}

The beauty in this dress is all about precision stripe matching or…precision stripe not matching…as is the case for the center front/back side seams.

The stripe details are what make the dress special. The stripe details are also what made me almost lose my mind. Offset stripes. Matching stripes. The same…but different. There was only. One. Way. Lots of pins and then….hand basting the seams before sewing. That extra step was 100% worth it.

Last, but not least, let’s talk fabric. I searched high and low for high quality striped fabric in blue and white. It’s difficult to find and I literally jumped up and down when I found it on the Mood Fabrics website. For those that sew, you know. For others….Mood Fabrics is an American fabric store whose fame derives from being the official store on Project Runway. My fabric, an ecru and navy Saint James Striped Knit Ponte can be found here.  I really like it and would/will purchase it again. I am, however, still on the hunt for a fabric that more closely matches the J Crew dress. I really want those equal sized stripes. So. People. If you know of a source….please, please, please let me know.

All righty…that’s all she wrote for today. Massive thanks to Carelia of My Small Wardrobe for graciously permitting me to use her photos in my blog post today. And…can’t forget…thanks also for blogging your outfits. They really do inspire.

Thanks also to the team at The Sewcialists. I love your posts, your sense of community and your quarterly challenges.

See you all soon!