Before the Blog: Easiest DIY Maxi Dress Ever

Guess where I am!

I swear this really happened. Walnut
just went over and sat down like that.

I know I said I was going to show off my finished UFO, but even though the dress is finished, I don't have any pictures yet. Blame Jeremy Lin for starting his basketball game right around the golden hour before sunset. There was no way I was going to ask my husband to step away from watching a Chinese-American guy play in a groundbreaking game to take pictures for me. Goodness, what's happening to my blog? First I mention COD: MW3, now basketball. As if my search results aren't already skewed enough, what with having made a Team Fortress 2 sniper vest in the past.

Anyway, I thought I'd share some pictures and a fake-torial for a dress I recently wore to the Getty Villa instead. Since the Getty Villa collection is mostly Greek and Roman art, I wore my most Grecian-column-esque dress. This was the actually the first dress I made when I started sewing, right after two elastic-waisted skirts. And let me tell, you, this was even easier than the elastic skirts. It's really an awesome beginning sewist project, especially since it's so simple to get such a glamorous result. Every time I wear this, I get compliments on it, my husband loves it, and it is SO EASY. So even though it's a little late for the Sew Grateful week tutorials round-up, here are my instructions anyway. Mind, though the waist is very adjustable (it's entirely dependent on your having a nice wide belt), the length is based on my height, which is 5'5". If you're significantly taller, you'll need to cut a longer piece of fabric.

I love how maxi dress can make one look so tall and columnar.

I made a super long tie so that I could have a huge bow at the back.

You'll need a drapey fabric, preferably a stable jersey knit, a long sturdy ribbon for the tie (or make your own super long tube of fabric), and the aforementioned belt to complete the look.

Yikes! There's a typo (write-o?) in here: it should be 54" x 24", not 44". Thanks to the Sewing Princess for pointing it out!

That's it! And in the spirit of full disclosure, I got the idea from American Apparel. I was just browsing their store, feeling a little heady with my first sewing successes, and I looked at the Le Sac Dress and realized it was just two rectangles sewn together. I thought, I can do that! And I can make it not scandalously short, too! So I dropped by my local Yardage Town, found this lovely soft black and white bamboo print jersey knit in the remnants, and snatched it up. An hour later, I had a new dress.

Please don't look too closely at my horribly non-parallel lines of topstitching, though.

I love these super fast projects that have disproportionately awesome results. Granted, this kind of dress is also just made for SoCal weather, but if you're taking a beach holiday, try it!

It was an absolutely gorgeous day to be at the Getty Villa, wandering around, looking at a great art collection...

...enjoying the beautiful architecture and marble floors everywhere...

 ...and the fantastic statuary. I just couldn't resist once I saw the crazy eyes on the statue.
I am a serious, mature adult who knows how to appreciate art, I promise.