Calamity Jane

Ahhh, the Truffle dress.  Everyone and their mom has made this (I even have a meringue skirt waiting to be shot).  To be 100% honest with you, I bought the book for this pattern.  I love how you can play around with different fabrics with this pattern.  The peplum makes it a super fun, casual dress, but you can also leave the peplum off and have a tailored dress.  One of my favorite variations of this dress is actually MarrieB's version.  It's simple, classic, and lovely.  Another plus?  This pattern is easy and relatively quick to put together.  I did 90% of the work on this dress in one day.  I wanted to finish it before going to Disneyland/my parent's house last week.  But, I was finishing up the handstitching today.  I was frantically catchstitching the hem so that I could wear it to my daughter's dance recital!  Here's a picture of me and the beautiful little ballerina.  Side note: look at the yoke detail on that guy's shirt!

back-look at that invisible zipper!  It's only my second one!

While I was putting the dress together, my daughter came in and saw it haphazardly thrown on Penny (my dressform) and asked what the fabric was called.  I told her it was gingham and then, she stood back and looked at it and said, "wow, that is a lot of gingham on your dress!"

I stopped everything and looked at the dress, she was right, that sure was a lot of gingham.  So, I decided to put some hot pink piping in the neckline, which added a little something.  Originally, I wanted to do the dress in a drapey fabric for the peplum, but I really liked the idea of making the peplum in a stiffer cotton.  I had already made the muslin a couple months earlier (what?? I got sick!), and I just cut away.

The skirt pulls towards the back a little and I can't figure out why.  It didn't do that on my muslin.  So, I need to figure that out, because I want to make a couple more Truffles. 

So, you may ask, why would I call such a sweet dress, "Calamity Jane"?  Well, I don't think Calamity Jane would EVER wear this dress, but for some reason this dress reminds me of Doris Day in Calamity Jane.  Well, to be honest, anytime I think of gingham, I think of Doris Day in Calamity Jane.

Cost:
Pattern: $30 (but there are other patterns and if I count all $30 now, then I don't have to count it later!  Hooray for justification!)

Oh no!  You can see my big belly!  But, this is my skirt pulling towards the back!

Fabric: 3 yards X $3.89: $11.67 (Fabric Mart)
lining fabric: Ikea Knoppa Sheet remnant: Free!
notions: $3 (zipper and piping)
Total: $44.67 (ouch!  But,  the book will pay off in the end!)

What I learned:
Well, I will learn what that skirt pulling towards the back is all about!  I also learned basic fitting techniques that are outlined in the book.  I have a long torso, and usually I have to lengthen the bodice, but I actually had to shorten this one...weird.

Would I make it again?
Most definitely yes!  I picked up some really great challis while I was in L.A. last week and once I find a good lining for it, I will make one up in a drapey fabric.  I also have three yards of some vintage chintz I picked up for $15 at the Alameda Flea Market and I really want to make this dress out of it!

I thought this was a funny photo! My husband was taking the picture of my back and then he said, "One more for my personal collection" Absently, I said, "Ok....wait....what?"  Then I turned around and said, "Eeeeewwww!"  He caught me mid-turn :P