Tropical Floral ITY Knit Hi Lo Hem Maxi Dress

I have never been a big fan of the Hi Lo Hem on clothing.  My Dear Daughter, who's 13, loves a skirt or dress with a Hi Lo hem but she doesn't care for the look on a top or shirt.  Me, being a plus size, have tried on clothing with the shark bite hem (longer on the sides) and it made my hips and thighs look like they were 3x the size they already were.  I don't need anymore exaggerations there!

Maybe since I was a young teenager from the 80's, I think Hi Lo hems remind me of my middle school years.  And sometimes you just want to forget those years in your life.  Aqua net, big hair and all!

But since we're going to the beach and I wanted to make another TNT elastic waist knit dress in the maxi length, I thought maybe I would try a hi-lo hem on the maxi dress. 

I have finally eliminated the bust dart on my TNT knit dress pattern.  I tried to remove it in the past and was so confused that I just kept it.  I think I got it right this time.  Since I am using a stretch knit fabric I don't think I need the bust dart.  But I used it on past patterns to tell which side was the front of the dress.........

I think that the Tropical Floral print ITY knit dress will be a nice dress for the beach, cool, comfy, yet not too revealing. 

Tropical Floral ITY Knit Hi Low Hem Maxi Dress

Close up of Tropical Floral ITY Knit Fabric

 I measured the neck of the dress and cut the neck banding 75% of the measured length.  I sewed the long sides, wrong sides together, with a three thread stitch on the serger.  Then just sewed the band onto the neck, stretching the band to fit.  I topstitched the seam allowances away from the band, stitching as close to the seam as possible.

Neck Banding on Tropical Floral Dress

Neck Banding on Tropical Floral Dress-View 2

 

Arm hole band Tropical Floral Dress

Tropical Floral ITY Knit Hi Low Hem Maxi Dress with Lulu our Pug

My first cutting of the hi low hem was not so good.  My Dear Daughter said it looked like I hemmed the dress drunk!  So I cut more off of the front of the skirt.  It hits below my knees in the front and right at my ankles in the back.  It's a little higher in the front than I wanted, but looks more flowy and natural.

Hi Lo Hem on Tropical Floral Dress

I used my serger to make a rolled hem on the bottom of the dress.  I used wooly nylon thread in the upper looper, helping to make the rolled hem full.  The outcome is perfect!

Rolled hem on Tropical Floral Dress

Tropical Floral ITY Knit Hi Low Hem Maxi Dress

Rolled Hem on Tropical Floral Dress-View 2

Rolled Hem on Tropical Floral Dress-View 3

$11.50 for a new dress isn't too bad.  I'll wear this one to the beach and around the pool.  Not too sure about this for Church, but maybe to the grocery store..................

Tropical Floral ITY Knit Hi Low Hem Maxi Dress Tag

I can't decide if I want to make this blue tropical cheetah ITY knit fabric into another McCall 6844 cardigan with a layered collar idea I have in mind or another beach dress................the decisions of life!



Blue Tropical Cheetah ITY Knit Fabric

Blue Tropical Cheetah ITY Knit Fabric-

I'm thinking the McCall 6844 Cardigan is going to win with this fabric.  I can wear it with my navy Muse Natalie dress or a black dress or maybe I'll have to make a grey dress..............

Oh, by the way, I received so many nice compliments on my previous McCall 6844 cardigan.  I wore it to church with my navy blue Muse Natalie dress.  A perfect match.

McCall 6844 Cardigan with Navy Muse Natalie Dress

Until next time....................

Bonnie