First of all, please don’t laugh at my picture. liZ and I decided a long time ago that we didn’t want pictures of ourselves on the blog—mostly because we are hermits and don’t really like even the thought of taking pictures of ourselves. Well, after a while here of heads cut off and other photo techniques, we are starting to venture out and put up a few pictures of ourselves. Awkward, at best, but it’s up there….(AHHHH!)
Anyway, on with the real part of the post. I have always loved the 3-seam caftan dress that I made a few years ago. It’s such and easy caftan tutorial and was a cinch to make and it makes the perfect pool cover up or the perfect dress for a hot summer night. And so I decided to make another one.
But, I felt like it was time for a teensy tiny updated version. And this is what I got. Shorter sleeves, shorter length and slimmed down in the middle (which naturally happens when you shorten the sleeve-length.)
The fabric for the caftan dress was this awesome knit that lowpricefabric.com sent me and it is super soft and silky and just delightful. It is the perfect knit for this type of project.
The original 3-seam caftan tutorial is found HERE, and again the only modifications are the length of the sleeves and the length of the caftan. I did hem the neckline and the sleeves and the bottom, but other than that it is the same deal-io.
Have you sewn anything for yourself lately?
~Elizabeth
This is so cute on you! The fabric is perfect–so pretty and it drapes perfectly. For the record, I think you should include photos of yourself on the blog–you are so photogenic! And yes, I haven been on a sewing-for-myself kick lately. It’s fun. Though I never look as cute as my girls do in the things I sew… 🙂
You photograph very well! It always feels awkward to be in the photo, though. That for me i just as bad as bra or bathing suit shopping.
LOL
Anyhow, LOVE that dress.
~Michelle
Wow! I love that print, and you are definitely photogenic! I found your original 3-seam caftan post months and months ago and I was showing it to a caftan uninitiated friend for the bajillionth time (as my friends are unaware of the miracles of caftans, and your post is the best for explaining) and I can’t tell you how exciting it was for me to go “Hang on a second, this link wasn’t there last week!” I love the knee length version as much as the floor length! Wonderful as always!
Lovely!
Maybe it’s just late for me, but I’m not getting how the shorter sleeve was figured out, and how the shorter sleeve makes the garment thinner through the body.
when I saw you had updated the pattern I immediately thought yippeee – she’s made a hi-lo! So at first I was disappointed. But what you’ve made does look lovely. Also, upon investigation on your blog I see another hi-lo dress and it appears that I can use the directions from that – at least i hope I can – for the hi-lo part. I haven’t made the caftan dress yet but to me, when I first saw it, I immediately thought “hi-lo.” So hi-lo here I go! Thanks for making what appears to be such an easy pattern available.
OK you look like you don’t want to be there, and I had to laugh because I am the same way with pictures, but now I realized that there are no pictures of me to leave my children and hubby when the LORD takes me home, so I am trying to take a picture of myself, and fix it up, so they all have a good picture of me, so rethink about the picture part of life before you end up were I am now, OK enough said about that. I love your dress, and as soon as I have enough strength, I am going to make me some or try. lol I taught myself to quilt, but I have not made me anything from junior high school, and that was a wrap around skirt. thank you and GOD bless.
JoannaWG, since this dress is a rectangle shape, when the sleeve is shorter the fabric is not as wide all the way down the sides. That gives you less fabric through the body. Hope this helps even though it’s 2 years after you posted!