Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Be Mine Valentine Dress (aka Be Yours) ((aka a GIVEAWAY))



Hello, Valentine! I have a treat for you today!

This garment is one of my most favorites to date. It is red and pink and lacy and velvet and super cute.



My inspiration mainly came from this dress on ModCloth. I thought the ruffled bib was a bit too much, but in that cute sorta way. Constructing a ruffled bib in ribbons and lace reminds me of a candy box, which is perfect for Valentine's Day.



So, I pulled out my red velvet and looked for a simple dress to compliment all that bibbage...bibbage? I chose to try out the Coffee Date Dress. I had never made one so thought it would be a good time to try it out, not to mention, it's free!

I found the pattern to be super simple, even with cutting my own seam allowance. I made some modifications in that I chose to make the skirt a bit fuller, keeping the waist the same size and adding the bib. I also finished the bottom with a blind hem since I was using velvet. I was a bit apprehensive, but Kathleen has this amazing video tutorial that really helped me out.



The only problem I had was that it came out too big. Not a problem with the pattern mind you, because the muslin fit just fine. It was the fact that I decided to eat quinoa salad and quinoa and eggs for the better part of two weeks not realizing the effect it would have on my waist line!



This was also the first time I sewed a garment with velvet. The seams went together rather nicely as when you press the velvet together, the pile will sorta glue itself together, no pinning needed. The most difficult time I had was with the zipper! I had to take one side out three times. I realized I was sewing in the opposite direction that the velvet wanted to lay, hence pushing my zipper in all sorts of wrong directions. Finally, the velvet, the zipper and I had a long talk and all was right in the end....except for the sizing!



So, that's where I offer you this fabulous dress! Would you like to wear this out with your beloved on Valentine's Day? Even if you don't celebrate it, or are the kind of gal who wears her wedding ring on her right hand sporting independence, you could sit home with a tub of Ben and Jerry's as beautiful as can be! I made the dress as a Burda Size 36 (US 4). However, I feel as though the sizing runs a bit big and this dress would fit a 4-6 and probably some 8s.

Here's how you can enter:
1. Leave a comment (make sure there is a way to contact you)
2. Follow me.
3. Tweet/Facebook/Blog/Whatever you use-and link back to this post tell me about it in a comment)

Each of the ways will give you a chance to enter, so please leave a comment for each entry. This giveaway will end Friday February 4 at 12am. I'll ship priority to the winner so you have time to wear it on your special day! (US residents only)

If you want to make your own:
I put a tutorial up on BurdaStyle so go have a look!


Check out what Suzannah has been up to this week at Adventures in Dressmaking!

and view all other Sweetie Pie Bakery Adventures!


*chocolate box images via Bakerella

51 comments:

  1. oh this is just adorable! I love the bibbage (lol! that word cracks me up!)

    larissa.knight83@gmail.com

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  2. oooh oooh I love this! I just stumbled upon your blog from Flickr and I cannot wait to dive in and read your posts. Beautiful work on the dress!

    karen@patternsbyfiggys.com

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  3. Found your site from Adventures in Dressmaking. I was just thinking that I wanted a red dress for Valentine's Day- this is so perfect!
    Great job!
    Suzanne
    S_ropackiathotmaildotcom

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  4. This is absolutely adorable! I don't know if it'd fit me... I'm tiny in the bust, but I love it. Maybe with a padded bra? :P

    alaskawildrose at gmail dot com

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  5. I absolutely love this dress! I've been thinking about doing my own rendition of the Coffee Date Dress for some time, and I've definitely made this one a favorite on my burdastyle account!

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  6. ...which means I've linked you on Facebook...

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  7. ...and added you to my Google Reader!

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  8. Great dress. Will have to add it to my favs.

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  9. Oh man, I would DIE if I could wear that dress on Valentine's day! (Well, hopefully not really. But I might pass out with happiness.) I'll be right back with more comments :-)

    rachelfbrown at gmail dot com

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  10. I'm following your blog!

    rachelfbrown at gmail dot com

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  11. This dress is so fun! I would love to wear it for Valentine's Day. I am going to try to make it, but it is a little above my skill level- so cross your fingers for me. Thanks for the beauty and the inspiration! Jill

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  12. This dress is adorable! And that bib is perfect for my messy eating habits :)

    barnettba@gmail.com

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  13. This dress would be so pretty for Valentine's Day!

    amanda.corley@ymail.com

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  14. I tweeted.
    http://twitter.com/#!/frugalmomto4/status/29983881117569024

    amanda.corley@ymail.com

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  15. awesome! super cute and gives me more confidence to try the coffee date dress myself! thanks!
    hans.haag@gmail.com

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  16. Really cute dress! It might just be my size! :-)
    cindylyle at mac dot com

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  17. It's a beautiful dress! It would be absolutely wonderful to wear it as on the special holiday, but I may have to wait a bit as I am due to have a baby any day, and may not be back to my normal size by then!

    kmvt18(at)gmail(dot)com

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  18. The dress is so adorable. My name is Charlotte, my email is: camprop@att.net
    I found your blog through Adventures in Dressmaking and now, I have a new blog saved to my favorites, yours. Thank you for an opportunity to win the gorgeous red dress. (I just love the color red!!!)

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  19. This is too cute Jess! Thanks for the chance to win!!

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  20. Wow, this is such an adorable dress!

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  21. vERY CUTE DRESS!

    GOODWSE[AT]GMAIL[DOT]COM

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  22. so cute, and nothing to wear on valentines day.

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  23. tweeted! http://twitter.com/sarashmee

    goodwse[at]gmail[dot]com

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  24. My husband has a gallery opening the day before Valentines Day (with the theme of love), this dress would make me feel like the belle of the ball! Love it!

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  25. OOoh! I LOVE this!! I'd love to win this dress!

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  26. I follow you :)

    malea[dot]walliser[at]gmail[dot]com

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  27. That dress is so sweet! How can anyone resist?

    gmeador90@gmail.com

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  28. I tweeted about the giveaway

    malea[dot]walliser[at]gmail[dot]com

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  29. I shared on FB :)

    malea[dot]walliser[at]gmail[dot]com

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  30. very pretty!!

    susansisney@hotmail.com

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  31. Im a follower.

    susansisney@hotmail.com

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  32. What a happy dress! I just found you via Adventures in Dressmaking.

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  33. I think this would have to be for sis since I am more like a 12!
    rbjj32825[at]lycos[dot]com

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  34. This dress is gorgeous! I love that you added a fuller skirt! I also used Kathleen's blind hem tutorial. Fab. emmillee(AT)gmail(dot)com

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  35. I've been following your awesome blog for a while. :)
    emmillee(AT)gmail(dot)com

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  36. This dress is so cute! It's a shame you can't keep it for yourself
    hanibee8@hotmail.com

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  37. I shared the giveaway on FB!
    hanibee8@hotmail.com

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  38. very nice!

    kaefree at gmail dot com

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  39. Adorable! Thanks for the opportunity to win it!=)

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  40. this is suuuuuper cute! you are so talented!

    nila1920@live.com

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  41. I've been a follower for awhile, your felt creations are amazing!

    nila1920@live.com

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  42. Oh my gosh! This dress is so adorable!!! And just my size ;)
    dmb161@aol.com

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  43. This dress is so cute!!! I have never worn a red dress but would like to. kelewassum@hotmail.com

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  44. I just LOVE the ruffles on this dress! :)

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  45. I'm a follower of your blog.

    SweetNightingaleSing (at) gmail (dot) com

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  46. I blogged about your wonderful giveaway!

    http://sweetnightingalesing.blogspot.com/2011/02/be-mine-valentine-dress-giveaway.html

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  47. And tweeted! :)

    http://twitter.com/SingNightingale

    ReplyDelete

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