The Magic Rectangle Dress

Magic: 

The art of producing an illusion

There is no real magic in the Magic Rectangle Dress, but, it does give the illusion that it's much more than it is!!! In reality, it's just 2 long rectangles. There are no shoulder seams, just a seam down the front, and a seam down the back leaving an opening for the head. And then of course, side seams.

Much of my day was spent in old clothes. I am in the final stage of  getting my friend's house ready to turn over to the new owner. It has been quite the journey. More on that in another post :) After a day of hard work, I was rewarded with an evening out for dinner. And, as I've said, I am celebrating everything! If it's dinner out, I am dressing for the occasion!!! So, I pulled out this dress that I made 7 YEARS AGO!!! 

I so love this dress. I used a piece of vintage fabric that I had for years. I think it's from the 1940s. The fabric is so soft, and feels so good against the skin. The only issue is that it wrinkles easily, but hey, we can't have everything ;)

The "magic" of the dress lies in the gathered detail. The gathering gives shape over the bust, and that's what makes the dress look like so much more than it is.  

If you think that you would like to give this little idea a try, you can find my original post HERE. This is a piece that's great for summer, and will also work well in the winter in maybe a wool challis with a turtleneck. Hmmm, I think I will be making another ;)

If you give the dress a try, be sure to let me know! Just send me an email :)

Have a wonderful day! I hope a little magic comes your way :)

 Rhonda

   

 

The Wednesday Showcase/Table Turned

Gifts come in all sorts of ways! 

Last summer I injured my back and I have suffered with it since. I initially went to a rehab facility that combines chiropractic work with exercise. Rather than get better, it got worse! My doctor suggested that I concentrate on acupuncture and massage and allow the area time to heal, which I did, but of course I skied and hiked throughout the winter. The acupuncture and massage have helped, but the pain is persistent. Some days are fairly good, and some days rather terrible, but either way, the pain is never completely gone. So I decided to see an orthopedic doctor who specializes in back pain. As it turns out, it's caused from an old injury to my spine. I fell down the stairs about 10 years ago and really hurt my back. It healed though and I thought nothing of it until the doctor told me that the pain is caused from an old injury. He feels that the correct type of rehab exercises will help to strengthen the muscles around the area and I will once again be pain free. Fingers crossed :)  

I had a rotten headache yesterday, the kind that just won't go away, and of course, I had a rehab appointment. Off I went, feeling a bit sorry for myself. While waiting for my therapist, I opened my mail, and there was a little gift.

Just a few days ago, I needed to quickly throw on something that looked halfway decent, so I pulled out this little dress that I did for a Fabulous Free Pattern Friday post, The Magic Rectangle Dress.

As I pulled it on, the thought came to me that I should make another and revisit the post as I really enjoy wearing this dress. Perfect for summer. 

The message I received was from Maria Geer of Stitch and Sew. She loves to sew and her blog is all about sharing sewing tips, new products, and continuing to build this wonderful sewing community that we all love. 

Her most recent blog post is entitled, My Top 100 Free Sewing Patterns, and low and behold...my little Magic Rectangle Dress made it as one of her 100 favorite patterns!!!! Wow, now talk about telepathy ;)

I have gone through her list and it's wonderful. There are patterns for holidays, cute pieces to make for children, toys, quilts, bags, clothing for women, just so much!

Here are a few of my favorites;

Love this super cute whale. Great for a baby shower.

Such a fun hat for summer or winter.

Summer perfect dresses for big girls and little girls.

A fun faux fur vest for when cooler temps roll around once again.

A great carry-all bag with a secure closure. 

We can never have enough cute tees for summer.

Now this is just a small sample of the patterns that Maria has shared, so pop over, check out her POST. I think you'll find lots of fun ideas.

And a special thank you to Maria for featuring one of my pieces. Such a wonderful surprise!!!