This is another make for the Monthly Stitch challenge, entitled this time monosewn, black& white in other words. I’ve noticed that stripes make the best black & white creations, like here, here and here. I love stripes and have blogged, two stripey garments, here and here. The inspiration for this month’s submission came from Pinterest. I sort of reside there from time to time and when I saw this dress, I knew I had to have it.
For my version I used about 3 metres of this cotton sateen fabric that I found on ebay. I like buying fabric from the local shops but sometimes I can’t find what I look for, and this was one of these instances. I can’t say it was of an excellent quality but it was good enough for what I wanted it to do.
The front of the bodice is the BHL Flora dress faux-wrap. Now with this we had a lot of issues, it took about three muslins to make it fit. I don’t know if it’s the pattern or me (I’m literally tiny at the top, so maybe it was me), but I did take quite a bit off the actual wrap in order to get it to an acceptable size that would allow everything to stay covered, if you know what I mean. The back is self-drafted, not exactly as the one in the picture but I did try a few different versions and this was the one that worked the best. 
The armholes and all the edges of the bodice are finished with facings.
I particularly liked the play with the horizontal and vertical stripes on the inspiration dress and decided I should try it on mine too. I think it creates a great effect. The skirt is a self-drafted semi-circle skirt.
For the hem, I placed the stripes at a different angle again and finished it with a bias tape (it’s not black or white though :0) and a split curve, because we love split curved hems.
Not a very nice picture sorry
The bodice has an invisible zipper on the side, and in terms of pattern matching well…
Matching pattern check 🙂
Matching patterns check 🙂
Not so check 😦
Despite making this dress last-minute and posting while on holidays, this is one of my favourite makes, so far, I have worn it as well, and it did receive a lot of compliments 🙂 I love the way it flows when you swirl around and here’s the proof of that. (you may need to click on the below if it doesn’t show)
Delightfully Peculiar 
Really lovely dress! I love the contrasting waistband where the stripes go the other way.
Thank you! Yes I forgot to mention the waistband as another way to play with the direction of the stripes, it always amazing how much you can do with black & white stripes. 🙂
Beautiful dress, you look great in it.
Thank you very much!!
I love it! You did a great interpretation of the original image. Also, I feel like I’ve seen a lot of bloggers having problems with that pattern so don’t blame it on yourself.
Oh thank you very much! As for the pattern, I have made the other version of the bodice with no problem, which is why I was surprised this didn’t work as well! I know now next time hehe!
I love this! So graphic and bold! Great job.
Thank you very much, great to hear that from a fellow stripey seamstress! 🙂
Love it! I’ve been wanting to make a knit skirt that has stripes going different directions, but I am also having trouble finding the material I want at the local stores.
Thank you! You wouldn’t think that stripes is difficult to find in any kind of fabric but it surprisingly is, I did do quite a search to find this particular width of stripes. Good luck I’m sure you will find your ideal fabric in the end 🙂
This is wonderful!! I love your bold stripes, and beautiful pattern matching 😉 gorgeously striking!!!!
Oh thank you, so nice of you to comment on the pattern matching, it put me off working with some fabric patterns sometimes.
Yay 🙂 that’s a really cool maxi dress! I don’t like maxi dresses but this one is definitely different. You look stunning and your hair (colour) is the accessoire :D. Aah and Pinterest – I looove it 🙂 just check out my name there – I have a lot of sewing inspiration etc…
I’m still confused why the stripes match on one side and on the other not? I don’t get it. But don’t worry I always tell me, that normally your arm covers this part and nobody is a freaking observer. We just see it here because we are reading very carefully your post ^^ 😀
Haha, thank you for coming over here too and very pleased you liked the dress. I don’t like maxi dresses either, I own only one other, but I thought the stripes would look good with that length 🙂 Now the stripes not matching it’s strange but then again it may be due to the final alterations I did on the front bodice, but life’s too short and you’re right my arm will be hiding it hehe!! I can’t find you on Pinterest.
🙂 yes that’s probable that it happened during the final alterations. Anyway we love it! 🙂
Ou… so here’s the link: (just saw that I passed the 10k with pins! That’s the black on white proof that I love Pinterest hihi)
Pinteresting Greetings!
Got it! OMG you’re awesome, I’ll definitely repin and look forward to reaching that point too 🙂
Lovely dress. You really put some effort into matching the stripes and it was all worth it. The dress is so playful. Nice mix and match. You sure have all the reasons to feel special and proud wearing it. Great work!
Oh thank you so much, that’s really nice of you to say especially since the stripes were matched only by 90% but it is a fun dress to wear and make.
What a beautiful dress and fabulous use of the stripey fabric. I’m feeling very inspired to make a swirly non floaty dress myself now.
Thank you very much, glad you liked it and you found it inspiring. xx
Just gorgeous!! You look utterly wonderful in it..now i’m just trying to work out where in Greece you were!! xxx
Thank you very much! I’m in my hometown in Patras, not as exciting as the Ionian, but nice enough. Sadly coming back to the UK shortly 😦
I could’ve waved to you! We drove passed Patras on our mammoth drive back to Athens airport!! Those road works….! Enjoy the rest of your hols! xxx
Gorgeous dress!! The back is amazing! The fitting is perfect.
I had SO many difficulties with the BHL Flora bodice. I thought it was going to be a simple make but trying to toile the top almost destroyed me and I still didn’t get it right!
But after seeing your dress I want to give it another go 🙂
I also want to give that top another go, as I like the style. I think the problem is that this top is drafted for ladies, with whom the gods had been more generous on the bust front haha.
haha I think so too! I need to accept my smaller gift, leave my pride behind and do the ultimate small bust adjustment on that pattern!! 🙂