When I found this leopard print poly knit on a shopping trip with friends in August 2015, I knew it HAD to become a DVF style wrap dress using my previously made Burdastyle from October 2011.
https://www.instagram.com/p/9tGVSMD-BG/?taken-by=fussbudgit
It’s funny I was drawn to this, because I tend to avoid animal prints (I read a study in college about how black models were more likely to be photographed in animal prints and said ‘F that noise’). That said, I also LOVE this leopard print dress I made in 2012.
I had this Burdastyle pattern cut out by the end of September 2015. But, life happens, I became obsessed with machine knitting and I lost my sewing mojo when a very expensive fabric order from Mood was stolen off my front porch (Yeah. Seriously.) We’ve had a string of package thefts and this one made off with $200 in dove gray wool coating from Mood. And, I’m sure he just threw it away.
Video Evidence:
Luckily, because it was purchased on my Visa, they sent me a check for the fabric (which I didn’t bother replacing). And, now everything gets delivered to my office 
After some time, I finally picked this dress back up to get it off my sewing table in March. And, I love it. I feel like a total fox.
You can tell I am just FEELING myself.
Rather than sew facings this time (which I despised) I used a narrow knit binding treatment. The binding is cut 1 inch wide on the bias. It is then sewn on doubled, along the 1/4 inch seam allowance, and folded again creating a strong binding that is the width of the seam allowance. **technique well explained and photographed in Singer’s ‘Sewing Activewear’.
The fabric was a little thin so I underlined throughout (except for the sleeves) with black tricot. I underlined rather than lined as I wanted it to be treated as one piece. And, it was a terrible, terrible mistake. I tried to hem the dress. But, the underlining and fashion fabric hung differently making it a lumpy saggy mess. So, I had to hack off several inches, trim the bottom evenly and go with no hem. Overall it’s shorter than I would like, but again: FEEL. ING. MY. SELF.
After my last project’s failure, I ended up wearing this out for my birthday dinner in Santa Fe with Jordan. Rawwrr.
Miss Celie's Pants 
It’s new, it’s cool, it’s you, Renee. You look stunning and I love your hair!
It looks amazing! Do you think you could have done a franken-technique approach with underlining the bodice and having the skirt fashion and lining fabric be separate pieces? What you’ve got looks fantastic in the pictures, that sort of knit seems to behave really well without a hem. Now I want animal print….
Love it!
You look marvelous in that dress! I love animal prints—I think it is the contrast that I find appealing. You wear it very well!
Love your dress!
And you look like a fox! You look fabulous in this dress, and your hair is gorgeous!
HOT. HOT. HOT!!!!!
It fits like a glove and that print is just YES!!!
Holy crap! Who steals fabric?! This is SO flattering on you! You need a closet full of wrap dresses.
I think you feel like a fox because you look like one! And I’m so freakin’ jealous of your braid–mine always is inside out, and generally crooked–I have no skills at braiding my own hair. Hmph.
P.S., if black models are more likely to be photographed in animal print, it’s probably because the colors and patterns look amazing on darker skin. And you are making that case for me. 😉
Your.self.looks.great!
Happy Birthday! You look amazing!! The dress is awesome!
Agree: you do look like a FOX!! Love the style on you, and the print
Right on, sis! Looking good! i love the wrap dress too!!
You should put one of those signs on your porch: Smile! you’re on camera. maybe that would stop them???
I love it! It looks really good on you, and your glamorous makeup matches the glam of the dress too.
Your dress is cute. A big shame on the person that took your box of fabric off your porch. I need security cameras too.
From: Miss Celies Pants To: sewhat2008@yahoo.com Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2016 7:05 AM Subject: [New post] Feeling Myself: Leopard Print Wrap Dress #yiv2793918949 a:hover {color:red;}#yiv2793918949 a {text-decoration:none;color:#0088cc;}#yiv2793918949 a.yiv2793918949primaryactionlink:link, #yiv2793918949 a.yiv2793918949primaryactionlink:visited {background-color:#2585B2;color:#fff;}#yiv2793918949 a.yiv2793918949primaryactionlink:hover, #yiv2793918949 a.yiv2793918949primaryactionlink:active {background-color:#11729E;color:#fff;}#yiv2793918949 WordPress.com | missceliespants posted: “When I found this leopard print poly knit on a shopping trip with friends in August 2015, I knew it HAD to become a DVF style wrap dress using my previously made Burdastyle from October 2011.Said sewing friendsA photo posted by Renee / Cidell / Mis” | |
oh yeah, that is your look! so fantastic. great fit and shows off your figure. Love it!
This is awesome and you look great in it! I love wrap dresses and have not made one in years (been on the quilting train most recently).
You look great in your new dress. Happy late birthday.
It is good to see Trina (Slapdash Sewist). I’ve missed her posts. You look great!
You look amazing. I love this dress
Dang! I hate that someone stole from your porch. Glad you got your money back. Love your dress!
The dress is H-O-T!! Great job! That sucks that someone stole you wool. Hopefully he gets caught and stops doing it.
Your dress is fabulous and you look great! I’m glad your CC company credited your account for the stolen fabric. Happy birthday. =)
Fabulous dress! As for the tricot underlining, I have had the same thing happen with a skirt. I thought it was because the main fabric was ponte. Anyway, hemless is fine these days, so it’s all good.
You best be feeling yourself – you look amazing. You knocked this one out of the ballpark!
It looks great. And I cannot believe you had parcels stolen. What a violation! Glad you were able to get a refund but still, that’s horrible. I can’t believe you caught it on tape.
You look mahvelous!
Did you enjoy Seret?
Perfect choice for a birthday dinner! Well done.
The dress is gorgeous! Sorry to hear about your fabric being stolen but I’m glad to see that you have your sewing mojo back! If you are planning another sewing meet-up with Trena I would like to join in on the fun. I’m here in northern Virginia about 30 miles outside of D.C. I would love to connect with other sewing divas in the national capital region.
Just to hear the happness in your words is so exciting! You, and your new dress, are both beautiful! May the fabric thief be stricken. With incurable jock itch.
It looks AMAZING!
I agree with other commenters, you look like a total fox. Great dress!
super becoming dress, and your enthusiasm adds to the glow.
I confess to a discomfort with animal prints on models of color (maybe I read the same article years ago?) but when its a personal choice rather than a marketing decision – or some potentially negative message – that makes all the difference.
ceci
Oh man… that study was depressing. But thank you for linking to it. I really love this dress on you- it’s got such a classic, sexy vibe!
Gorgeous dress. You look amazing in animal print! Boy that video made me mad, I can’t imagine how much it ticked you off!
Your wrap fits amazing! Isn’t it astounding that after years of sewing there are still great big learning moments? I too learned the hard way on a knit dress, several years ago now – underline the bodice and use a hanging lining for the skirt portion. Ah well.
I’m sending you an email. I’m wondering if you ever made Vogue 1390 after your muslin or if you shelved that project. I’ve just decided that I’m making myself some outerwear suitable for SC winter – bit of an oxymoron there – but there are a few weeks where one needs some sort of outerwear and next winter I’m not going to be wearing my foul weather gear with velcro closures again. So I just ordered the Issey Miyake coat pattern from their OOP sale, then went looking for reviews. May be an oops.
Fabulous dress, you look great in it and you obviously feel great too. I’m sorry your parcel got stolen and it’s no consolation, but I bet that thieving git was mightily fed up to only find fabric.
Dang!! I LOVE this dress!!!!