We've all found ourselves flipping through a magazine, and stumbling across a garment that just took our breath away or made us smile. The kind of garment that makes you dog-ear the page corner and gets you doing a Google image search! Well, that's me and my current situation with this lovely Bebe Spring 2013 dress:
I searched online for a link to the original, and all I could find were images from the ad campaign. The bebe website doesn't appear to even be selling this dress, but instead a different version that I really don't care for:
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| $159, currently on sale for $95. |
What?! I believe that's called "Bait and Switch"! Lure me onto your website looking for a classy and sophisticated sheath dress, and leave me with a super short, lace-trimmed, tank dress??? I don't think so...
So, I did a new search. "Blue floral print fabric"... and look what I found! Not an exact match, but close enough for me.
This lovely cotton lycra sateen print is 56" wide and only $10.98/yd! I searched every fabric website I could think of, but think one came the absolute closest with the color way and the weight/drape needed for a structured dress. The ultimate bonus is that it's at
Haberman Fabrics, about 45 minutes away. Can you believe it'll be cheaper for me to have it shipped than the cost of gas to actually drive there myself?! Seriously.
Next step: Pattern choice. I have a Vogue "Kay Unger" dress pattern that would suffice, but this Vogue pattern (
Vogue 8727) is really spot-on, and require almost no alterations (slightly narrow the shoulder seams).
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| View D, 1 1/2 yds, no lining! |
I'm left with just one concern:
How do I prevent the dark binding from bleeding into the white cotton print? Dry clean only?
Now, if Spring would kindly arrive (it's running rather late this year), I'd be much obliged!!!
13 comments:
what about using something 100% poly for the binding?
Good idea, Kathy, for 100% poly binding. I was thinking prewash your binding several times in hot, hot, HOT water to prevent the bleeding.
Vigorously pre-wash the binding, then use color catcher sheets in the washer when the dress is laundered. Something like Shout. Look like dryer sheets and they really work. (Thanks, Nancy DaQ!)
This will be a great dress! Love your fabric choice and agree with meredithp about pretreating the binding. This is going to look amazing when spring/summer finally shows up!
Pretreat the binding and it should be ok. You could also use a product that sells in the supermarket that keep colors from bleeding onto the fabric during washing. I don't remember the name of the product, you can find it in the laundry and detergent section of the supermarket.
I love your new knock off idea. Your fabric is going to be a good choice.
And you can't make jeans?! Get outta here! Like always, I'll be following your progress with interest.
I've used white vinegar to stop the colors from bleeding out of dyed 100% cotton. You can also use salt as mordant! It's been at least 8 yrs now and the fabric hasn't bled at all. This cotton top was from a store who have handmade clothing, but the colors usually bleed like nobody's business. So I was very surprised how well it worked out... I don't remember the exact details on how I did it.. it's been long time now.
That dress is beautiful!!! I think your pattern will work very well in creating your version of the Bebe dress.
I vote for washing several times in very hot water, but I'd add at least a half cup of table salt to each wash. The salt should help to set the color. Good luck on a lovely project.
This will be another fabulous knockoff, Kristine. You are spot on with the pattern and fabric and I would bet the farm yours will be nicer than the original!
Fabulous dress! You are talking to the wrong person about preventing bleeding, I have pretreated, used white vinegar and that dye setting stuff from Dharma an just resigned to have new design elements. Personally, I am a dry cleaner and a Dryell user (drycleaning that you do yourself in the dryer). I'll certainly be watching how it goes.
Great pattern choice!
This is going to be fabulous! I love the print fabric and the dress pattern looks perfect.
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