washi love, washi love!!!  it's taken me forever to finally get the armholes of my washi dress done but i finally did!!! yay! i used a vintage mustard bias trim and love it! it's a fun pop of color just for me on the inside of the dress.  i wore my washi out for my hubbies xmas work party this past weekend and before you judge the pics above let me tell you they were taken at midnight after the hubs and i had (some...ahem) drinky drinks.  this momma was not feeling any pain and boy was it amazing to be out with the hubs without our children for a night.  it was sooooooo nice.  we don't get to go out very often (i mean like 1-2 times a year) so it's a big treat for us to go out for an adult evening :) 

i loved that i could wear a dress that i made.  it was such a thrill!  i love this dress....i love it so much i've worn it about 3 other times since saturday...haha.  i know the pics above are crappy lighting and the dress is wrinkled but i couldn't resist sharing them.  they felt real.   they felt like me...being a goof and capturing a moment for me when i was feeling free and content with my body.  i love that rae's washi dress makes me feel like that.  it hides my flaws and shows off my good assets.  i have never felt more comfy in a dress before. it's a fab feeling!

i plan on making the tunic version next and will be trying out rae's version with the elastic on the waistline instead of the shirring.  i had a tricky time with the shirring placement for my body.  it's the only negative for me with this pattern and that's me being very, very picky.  i never seemed to get the right amount for it to hang right over my hips an butt and i made the mistake of sewing the side seams before trying on the back to see if the shirring was good.  i had to rip open a section of the sides and try to add lines of shirring and take away some and it was a nightmare.  they still aren't perfect but i don't care. i love it anyways. 

i'm also leaning towards doing the peter pan collar for my tunic and a few other of rae's tricks like the longer sleeve.  i can't wait to get started on it.  the nice thing about being done the first washi is that i have already made a muslin and a dress and can just make as many as i want  knowing they will fit :)  the paunch is hidden and the girls (aka my boobs) are happy in the bodice. 

the washi i made was done using the dress pattern and i did the short sleeves and the fully sewn down yoke and hemmed that bad boy short.  well short for me. i really wanted to wear this with tights and/or leggings and found the shorter length was way more flattering and slimming on me than the at knee or just above length that i normally wear. it slimmed my legs and made me look taller.  so i'm so happy i dared to make a big change like that from what i would normally wear.  it suits my wardrobe better now and is way more versatile for me to wear with different shoes and boots with the shorter length.  i'm also thankful for all the lovely compliments and helpful suggestions on tight colors to choose from when i posted a sneak peek instagram shot. you ladies are AWESOME! you can read the convo here which has a pic where you can see the length of the dress better.  i'm still on the hunt for some colored tights like suggested (mustard or teal) so in the meantime the grey has been a great match for brown shoes and boots.

i made a size xl and did not have to do a full bust adjustment.  the xl fit me perfectly.  the darts were right where i wanted them and there was no armhole or back neck gaping which is a problem i always have with garments. thank you rae!  i love that this dress helped me to get over my fear of sewing a fitted bodice for me.  i highly recommend doing a muslin before you make this dress and taking the time to get a great fit.  you can find out lots of information about doing a muslin and sizing etc from this great post rae has written and also from the pattern itself. 

||  FABRICS USED  ||
-  anna maria horner's print fine feathered in colorway pomegranate from her new line field study from fabricworm.
- vintage mustard colored pre-made bias tape for armholes.

||  PATTERN USED  ||
- washi dress by rae hoekstra (made by rae)
- size made: XL
- full bust adjustment: none
- length: mid thigh
- helpful link: sewing women's clothing post from rae (great for tips on sizing and muslins)

have you made a washi dress yet?  what version did you make?  have you made a dress for yourself before?  what is your fave pattern to use?  spill the beans...i'm dying to see your washi's ladies!