MashUp- Famous Foxtrot
/Jessica's monthly MashUPs have been a huge hit with our fans, inspiring us all to do more with our patterns by combining them to create new looks. We're excited to announce that we have partnered with the designers to offer you a MashUP Bundle. The Bundle includes both patterns featured in our monthly post, and a Tips and Tricks Guide to help you mash your new patterns together...at an amazing price! This month's MashUP bundle features the Foxtrot Party Dress from Ainslee Fox and the Almost Famous Tulle Dress from Whimsy Couture and can be purchased through our BundleUP site HERE. If you already have one of the patterns, you can also purchase the individual patterns at a discounted price. Buy Foxtrot HERE and Almost Famous HERE. Patterns will be sold through Pattern Revolution through December 24th, 2014 with the bundle discount. After that, you can find them at regular price in the designer's shops
I'm not sure there's a better way to ring in the holiday season than to bring you another MashUP sale! Whether you've already sewn up those special pretties for the little girl in your life, or you're waiting for some 11th hour inspiration, this dynamic duo of patterns takes care of your holiday sewing needs! You can dress it up or make it casual, but either way, you'll have something she'll love to wear for those holiday programs and events.
For this Holiday Edition of MashUP, we're bringing you the Almost Famous Dress from Whimsy Couture and the Foxtrot Party Dress from Ainslee Fox Patterns. I've had the idea for a menswear inspired-tuxedo version of the Foxtrot since last year before New Year's Eve but I never really had a chance to get it sewn up. After talking with Suzanne, we decided that adding a tulle skirt would just make this dress even more insanely fun, so we added the skirt from the Almost Famous Dress and it was a great match!
I pretty much used the Foxtrot bodice as prescribed in the original pattern. I only left off the bow tie because I wanted to add buttons. The tricky part for mashing these dresses was that the Foxtrot has a skirt tab that just would not have worked with all the tulle over the top, so I opted for a facing to help the skirt join to the button placket. When you purchase this MashUP, you'll receive a PDF with a tutorial on how to make a facing for your tulle skirt!
I did not adjust the skirt length to make this the same as the original Foxtrot Dress. I liked that since this is a more formal, party dress, it's a little longer. Miss L was definitely excited about ALL of that tulle, too. I purchased my tulle from my local JoAnn store, but it's easily found at pretty much all fabric stores.
The fabrics you see in this dress and in the one that follows, are from Riley Blake Designs and they really make this dress stunning! I used fabrics from their 2015 Sparkle Pearlized Cotton collection as well as their basic stripes and solids for the New Year's Eve dress. The metallic screen print on the fabric is high quality and I didn't have as much as a flake of gold on me while I was sewing. For the red dress you'll see in a minute, I used their large Damask print as well as more from their plentiful Basics Collection. Huge thanks to RIley Blake for providing all of the fabric for this project!
Instead of doing the Almost Famous bodice with the simple Foxtrot skirt, I opted for a stripped down version of the Almost Famous dress, using only the underskirt measurements provided. I sewed it according to the pattern, with the exception of leaving off the flutters on the straps and using an elastic casing for the back instead of the shirring as outlined in the instructions. My machine is picky about shirring and I didn't want to take a chance. A tutorial for adding an elastic casing is also included with your MashUP purchase!
The best part about a simple version is that you can add embellishments! I added some jumbo (total understatement) ric rac to the bodice, as well as a lace rosette and a fun button. I added the same black lace to the hem of the dress, too.
We are in the Midwest, so layering is a must when it comes to halter dresses. I used the Bella Bubble Sleeve Tee (affiliate link). It's a basic tee with a little flair on the cuff and I love that it adds a little drama without being a diva. We have enough of that from my in-house model. 5 going on 15 much?
I'm proud to say that not only was this headband made by me, it's from my very own tutorial, the Sweet Grace Ruffled Headband. I added fun jingle bells to it instead of buttons and you can see the tiniest smidge of tulle peeking out from under the red polka dots!
I hope you run over (not quite like Rudolf over grandma...) and buy this MashUP bundle and sew something pretty! Wishing you and your family the most blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!
