July 28, 2022

TGIFF - Essential Tank Dress

Welcome to this week's TGIFF party! A finish always feels good, doesn't it? If you have a finish to share, link it up so we can all celebrate with you 😊

My finish was actually finished a few weeks ago, but I didn't get pictures until this week. It's easier to get pictures of a quilt than of a dress because I don't have to be in the quilt pictures! I have been mostly wearing dresses this summer and this Essential Tank (pattern from Patterns for Pirates) has been on heavy rotation.
Essential Tank dress | DevotedQuilter.com
There are a couple of things I love about this dress, but the biggest one is that I don't have to worry about flashing everyone if there's a breeze! Always a bonus, right?

With this, I have now made almost every view included in the Essential Tank pattern - the top with straight straps and with racerback straps, the maxi dress with front slit and with the back slit and now the above the knee length. The only things I haven't done are the tunic length and the banded bottom on the tops. Not bad for a $10 pattern.

I widened the straps a little because the first couple of things I made with this pattern were just a bit too narrow and my bra showed. I know lots of women don't worry about that, but I prefer to have mine hidden. Being able to accommodate my own preference is one of the great things about making my own clothes!
Essential Tank dress | DevotedQuilter.com
I used an athletic knit from Black Rabbit Fabrics (shout out to them - their shipping times are always crazy fast!) and I love the feel of it. It's a nice weight and it feels nice and cool, which has been wonderful this summer, especially since I do not like the heat at all. Paul and I went to the beach for these pictures and so I could spend some time in the water because it was really hot that day (okay, really hot for Newfoundland, so those of you in more southern climes would laugh at me like I laugh at you when you say it's cold in the winter, lol). This beach isn't good for swimming because there are lots of big rocks just below the surface, but it is good for walking in the water. Isn't it a beautiful spot?
Essential Tank dress | DevotedQuilter.com
After a while I got tired of walking around, so I just decided to sit on one of those submerged rocks, lol. FYI, the dress dried pretty quickly 😊
Essential Tank dress | DevotedQuilter.com
I used to feel kind of guilty for sewing dresses more than anything else, but after wearing them so often this summer I won't feel guilty anymore. In fact, I feel perfectly justified in sewing up a couple more!

The one complaint I do have about most of the dresses is that they don't have pockets. I've been using a Necessary Clutch Wallet I made back in 2018, but my phone doesn't fit in it, so when I go out without pockets I have to carry my purse and my phone, which gets annoying. Maybe it's time to make a new purse...I really don't like having a large purse, though, so if you have a recommendation for something just slightly larger than the Necessary Clutch Wallet, I'd love to hear it!

And now it's your turn! What have you finished this week? Or finished a while back and finally got around to sharing? Link it up so we can celebrate with you. And be sure to visit a few of the other links to celebrate their finish with them. It's always fun to have lots of people cheering us on!

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9 comments:

  1. Dresses are a great option for hot summers. Very cute.

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  2. Didn't manage anny sewing this week. However, I found a great solution for the pocket problem. I made "The Money Bag" https://emmalinebags.com/products/pdf-money-bag-by-ujamaa-bagettes It holds my phone, mask, credit card, and cash. With a cross body strap, it has served as my pockets for the past year. It is a quick sew, too.

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  3. I'm still cleaning and putting away from my last quilt project which will be coming back from the long-armers middle of August so the only sewing has been mending....
    I too love dresses with pockets. You can add side seam pockets to most dresses. Just google "side seam pocket" and you will get lots of direction and at least a few free patterns!

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  4. Thanks for your dress review! It's apparent this is a knit fabric pattern. That's good, but personally, I also like woven fabric dresses. And like you, I also like patterns with side pockets, and sometimes I just add my own. As for wristlets, I use mine all the time and have made several of them: Essential Wristlets (the large size) using the pattern from Dog Under My Desk. It's my favorite go-to for holding currency and drivers license (I add an inside zip pocket), an interior slip pocket for my iphone, and space for tissues, lip gloss, a pen, and emory board. Who needs more than that?

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  5. What a great summer dress. :) Would you be interested in sharing a similar project in a hop during National Sewing Month in September. Send me an email for details. MelvaLovesScraps(at)NolanQualityCustoms(dot)com

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  6. Great dress!!! And even better if it dries quickly and you can cool off in the water! Thanks for hosting TGIFF this week!

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  7. I either carry just my phone (my phone case holds two credit cards) or a big crossbody purse but you're right I don't need all the other junk that accumulates in it. I would think a snall clutch with a pocket for change and a couple of card slots would be all you need. I hear you on pockets, so many of my trousers have zero or useless pockets for a phone and keys. The dress looks great and if you love it, then it's exactly perfect for sewing! Maybe you need a couple more...

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  8. Hi Leanne, that's a wonderful dress...and if you wear them then you may as well keep making them! I haven't sewn a garment in years but I did cut up my jeans this summer to make my favourite pair of shorts. Thanks for hosting TGIFF.

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  9. Love your new dress. I hope you had a good time here in Nova Scotia, the beaches are so beautiful here.

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