Taking liberties with Gabby
I love a play on words (see title) and much as I love my new dress…
Earlier this week I saw a photo on Instagram that inspired me to make a dress from three different liberty fabrics in my stash. Am I taking colour blocking to the next level?
This dress is very quirky and it feels so me!
I have numerous liberty pieces in my stash that are my colours but they feel a little ‘too pretty’ or ‘dainty’ for my current style. Combining them has allowed me to create a very unique garment, use my stash, and sew and wear one of the nicest fabrics around. This dress has a lot of things going for it and it’s definitely in the running for my… drum-roll… all-time favourite me-made dress. Yes, I’m on a post sewing garment high…
The pattern is Tessuti’s Gabby Dress without alteration. It’s my second time making this pattern (the first was pre-blogging) and I imagine it won’t be the last! The pattern is well drafted, comes in two lengths (I opted for the longer one) and is a quick and satisfying sew.
Now for some twirling to showcase the fabric…
Pattern: Tessuti’s Gabby Dress
Size: S
Fabric: Liberty Tana Lawn from Tessuti (front & back) and eBay (navy sleeve with red flowers)
Alterations: None
Accessories: Necklace from Elk & shoes purchased at Miss Lousie.
Oh, wow, this is completely and totally fabulous!
Thanks Justine. As you can probably tell from my post I’m smitten with my new dress.
I adore this. I love your posts because you are ‘so Anna’ and really have such a string sense of yourself & style. I love that.
Sew more please, you keep me fascinated!
Lizzy you’re the best. I love that you not only ‘get me’ but you are so wonderful and encouraging at the same time. My style has evolved a lot in the last 12 months, but I feel that I’m really hitting my stride at the moment and quite clearly… doing my own thing. Dam all those skirts I promised to sew for the school fair!
I love your style! And your natural warmth – I wish you lived down the road 🙂
I also feel I’m hitting my stride. I have plenty of detours but I think I’m getting there. I can wear sweet & pretty (and love it) but I think rougher, slouchier, deconstructed is more my thing!
Big hugs…. You’ve summarised your evolution of style perfectly. Yep, you can totally do sweet florally frocks, but at the same time you’re rocking this drapey bizo. Can’t wait to see what you make next!
Love it, very you… but is it stylist approved?! Just kidding, it’s great.
Oh, and if you want to set up a school fete skirt assembly line, let me know! I’m about to get an A0 sized cutting mat – just imagine the rotary cutters flying!
You’re a tease! An A0 mat is on my wishlist… Just need to get these kids back to school and kinder, my house professionally photographed (think of me on Monday) so I can focus on sewing, sewing and more sewing…
An A0 mat is a necessity for me… at the minute I have two A3 mats taped together, but it hurts my back to use them on the floor. An A0 means I never have to worry about trashing the dining table!
Oh yessss! Great combination!
Thanks Anne. I think I may have spent more time selecting and cutting out the fabric than I did sewing up the dress!
You chose well!
I love it, great idea using different fabrics!
Thanks Kate. I’m still feeling ridiculously pleased with myself… I wonder when this sewing high will wear off?
Such a simple idea, but so beautiful. I like the shape of the dress as well. Love it.
Thanks Lousie.
I love it! My goal this year is more print mixing- you have me inspired…..again!
I expect animal print mixing from you Anne… 🙂
As God intended!!!
Those shoes are fantastic! And go perfectly with the dress – lovely!
Thanks Rachel. The shoes have been in the wardrobe for a little while waiting for me to pluck up the courage to wear them. Silly, but true!
I am not surprised that you are on a sewing high – your dress looks absolutely WONDERFUL and you look so happy with it! Accessorised beautifully as always too. Go Anna!
The beads were on borrow for my lovely friend Sharon who was taking the photos. Needless to say we popped out to the shops after the photo shoot and found me some very similar ones at a shop stocking Elk!
i adore this dress Anna …. always loved some print mixing … looks fab!
Thanks Wendy.
This looks great on you and what a fabulous idea to mix the prints. I agree with you about Liberty fabrics; they are lovely but I worry a dress would be too ‘girly’ for my style. You have given me food for thought……
Could there be ground swell for a mis-match liberty movement? I’m already planning another dress (different pattern) with a couple of liberty prints. Although I’m terrible at sticking to my sewing plans…
Looks great!! I already have 2 gabby dresses and am thinking about a third… how many is too many???
Louise, I’m a firm believer that you can never have too many Gabby’s in your life. I vote for making more!
Oh, it’s really fun! What a great way to use up some gorgeous Liberties (Libertys??). And the Gabby – if your Melbourne weather is like Adelaide’s right now, that would be the most comfortable thing to wear. Hmm… more inspiration to make a Gabby!
It’s super hot here too Jane. So hot I’m contemplating making more mis-match liberty Gabby’s as they are the perfect hot weather dress. I can definitely see a Gabby in your life too 🙂
I have just made my first garment using Liberty Lawn and I can’t believe how beautiful the fabric is to work with. Your dress looks great and must feel fabulous to wear.
The problem with Liberty is once you’ve sewn and worn it, it’s hard to go back to anything else. Just popped over to your blog to check out your recent liberty make… it’s lovely. Liberty and Japanese Patterns… a match made in heaven 🙂
Lovely summer dress!
Thanks 🙂
Love the fabric mixing – it looks fabulous and very “you”. Loving a loose “trapeze” dress at the moment. I recently made and blogged about one and am living in it and thinking of another. Might have to steal your fabric mixing idea 🙂
Hi Jillian. The trapeze style is so lovely in really hot heather. I’m seriously considering making another one! Hopping over to check out your dress now…
Love your play on words in your blog post title. Gorgeous dress that is very much your style. Well done.
Thanks Jean Margaret. I must confess I asked my friend, who worked as a journalist for many years, and was my photographer for the day, to help me with the title.
I love how quirky & fun all the patterns in this dress are! I want to make one for myself now! Bookmarking this post for sure!
So pleased with my first effort, I’ve just made a second liberty miss-match dress.
[…] quirky liberty Gabby Dress (and I’m saying that fondly) just wasn’t […]
That is gorgeous! I would probably want to pull it out of the closet everyday!
Thanks Karen. If only summer lasted all year around as it’s my favourite sewing time of year.
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