Cool and Classy in Leopard Print Guaze
I love this Bondi dress from Tessuti Patterns, its just that simple. It checks all the boxes as a summertime wardrobe staple. Its a sheath dress that fits perfectly through the shoulders, arm syce and bustline. It has a wonderful A-line profile that keeps it cool and classic. It has bias binding on the arms and neckline so there is no fussing with interfacing and... of course it has side pockets!! Couple all of these fashion design elements with glorious fabric and you have a winner time and time again.
Lets talk about this glorious animal print fabric shall we! It is from Modes4U a kawaii online shop based out of Singapore. Sandra Boch founded the modes Group in 2007. They stock a huge selection of top quality products. My fabric shipped from Singapore really quickly and I have enjoyed connecting with the Modes team through Instagram. They are a supportive, encouraging team. I encourage you to take a look at their fabric selections. Prices are reasonable and the selection is impressive.
For my first order I chose this cream and leopard print single cotton gauze. I was drawn to this colour scheme as it is a unique take on a leopard print pattern. With it being a single layer gauze it doesn't present the issues that often come with a double gauze so it was really nice to sew with. Combining this fabric with the Bondi Dress pattern from Tessuti was a perfect combination for me. The Bondi dress offers the ease of a sheath dress design, side pockets and an A-line profile. I made a size 12 based on my bustline measurements.
The dress is an easy straight forward sew. It would be great for beginning sewers as the back closure does not have a zipper and the Rulon button loop offers a polished finish without a lot of fuss. The original pattern has a front center seam which offers a nice sewing detail, especially if you are sewing with a plain fabric. For this particular dress I choose to cut the front bodice on the fold so that the fabric would be featured without a seam. I made my own bias binding which admittedly is one of my favourite things to do. I love the look of a matching bias binding! If you are a beginning sewer you may want to choose a coordinating binding to make it easier. I love using this bias binding technique as it offers a way to create continuous binding without having to sew single pieces together.
Once you have made your bias binding strip made I highly recommend using this bias binding kit to get perfectly ironed bias every time. If you are interested in other sewing pattern videos that are quick and helpful check out @thesewpatternlovers on Instagram.
Then of course there are the pockets... I enjoyed making these pockets as they offer a different version of side pocket. I like the finished look of the front opening and anchoring the pocket to the front bodice so you can see the pocket stitching also offers another fun way to add detailed stitching. This style of pocket works well for dresses because it anchors the pocket to the dress avoiding added bulk at the hip because the pocket is hanging down at the side. Its a good pocket design option that I recommend trying.
This dress is a classic staple for your summer wardrobe. Sewn in a heavier fabric and coupled with a turtleneck underneath it will also transition nicely into cooler weather. There are so many options for fabric choices. This will be a go to sheath dress pattern for me, after all... There is Sew Much To Design.
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