Summer and Mccalls 6554


When does summer end for you? When  the temperature changes? When the ads change to pencils and bookbags? When your co-worker announced that in mid-july it’s time to start thinking about her fall porch display? Summer in South Carolina can be so confusing. The stores are showing you cardigans and you are melting at the thought. This is another reason I love to sew my wardrobe. I control my sleeve length destiny.

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This week it’s totally sans sleeves. I am touring in my 2nd Summer Sundress Sew-along entry!

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This is my new favorite summer dress. Did I say that last time?  Ok, don’t tell my other dress it just got demoted for Mccalls 6554!This has been hanging around waiting for its textile soulmate longer than most patterns. I hope it’s happy now- I am. I found the base fabric at Mary Jo’s. The stretch lace on the bodice is from fabric.com.  I have since used it on 2 more embellishment victims and they all seem happy too.  Look at me doing my own stunts with my new friend! Huh….I just read that sign while editing and probably shouldn’t be letting that donkey gently maul me….well, hmm.look1

I followed instructions to  fully line the bodice- with my lace needing a backing it was getting pretty heavy already for a summer dress, so next time I will draw out a neck facing by hand. Something I used to do alot for doll clothes. They got so bulky with too many layers on such a small shape. Except Barbie of course, she demanded full shantung linings. I do wish I’d lined the lace with something besides the body fabric. I can sort of see the design showing thru. Not a total deal breaker, but not my favorite thing- having a magic eye illusion on my torso.

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Oh, self belt/sash, you know I do not care for you, lets just leave it at that. You didn’t get invited to this Valerie Wells Karavan party. Sorry, baby. I wore this to work last week, now it’s going to a craft brew and such dinner with the Mr B. He likes this dress  even more than I do. Funny how people see things differently on you than you do- I think it’s very bulking looking in the skirt, but he thinks it’s very flattering, God love this man.

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By the by, this is not a petting zoo. It is the local legal moonshine purveyor closed on sundays. It has goats on the roof, too, but they were disdaining  my endeavours. Not like Florence, here. We are bosom chums now. Just like Zac Posen and Coca Rocha!

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photo credits: pattern review, meadhawg, google images. All images remain the property of their original owners.

107 thoughts on “Summer and Mccalls 6554”

  4. Tyraenna says:

    I LOVE this. Especially your color and fabric choices! It looks fantastic on you, and now I want one … *goes to figure out the next time Simplicity patterns are on sale at Hancock* … Nice job on this, one of my favorites that you have made!

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  11. Wonderful dress! That orange is the perfect shade. Yeah, here in Georgia, it’s still hotter than the hammered down hinges of hades. Who can think of Fall???

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  13. That orange is so flattering on you! I love the stretch lace bodice/quilting cotton combo. This pattern has been in my contender pile for a while. That color will transition nicely to fall whenever want it to- just throw on a goldish shrug, and voila-you’ll be all set!

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  14. Oh, Summer. I always get excited about fall clothes going back to school but you know we can’t wear them until Thanksgiving. I love the dress! You look fantastic in that red-orange. I like the combo of the lace and the print.

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  17. Another great sundress! So glad you sewed this, I’ve bought it for Ashley, have been wanting to see it! It’s so pretty on you, love you in red, the fabrics are great!

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  20. Who would put lace with quilting cotton and have it turn out so chic? Marvelous skirt print, large enough to say “I’m here, don’t ignore me” but not to large to overwhelm the wearer. That is so important and the motifs all line up and hang nicely. The bodice has just the right dart and the lining is basically invisible in the photographs.If someone found this dress in a boutique…they would buy it in a flash and hunt for that gold bolero later. Well done, Anne!

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  23. starryfishathome says:

    Love this colour on you! The lace bodice lifts this dress into Chic. Don’t get me started on looking for season appropriate clothes in shops. Ever tried to buy swimsuit in August or a winter coat in December( nothing but sparkly trash then).

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  24. I can see that orange is your neutral. Great job matching pattern, lace and fabric in a perfect summer frock. I can see the admiring looks you are getting from your gentleman friend.

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  25. Hey, I have this pattern and now can’t wait to make it after seeing yours. It’s so lovely on you, Anne! Your colours for sire and I love how you chose lace for the bodice part, adds a touch of formality to a sundress. Summer better not be over, ours has barely begun. There have been a handful of sunny hot days but majority COLD and/ or grey. I am patiently (not) waiting for temps high 20s low 30s. Heck, I’d settle for above room temp and sunny! Enjoy your new dress and say hi to your new friend for me.

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  26. Hello from Calgary,Alberta, Canada .I do so enjoy reading your blog, only one I have subscribed to follow.I believe we have the same sense of humor and I can’t wait to read the next one.I like your new dress and your supporting cast is awesome! Take care in the summer heat.god bless

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  32. Ooh la la. It is definitely numero uno in the dress department. Mr B has a discerning eye. Love it and it is such a happy looking dress. Looks fabulous on you.

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  38. Perfect dress on you – I adore it! And every time I read one of your posts I think I really should get my hair cut very short again (I’ve been stuck with a cut-it-myself-bob-type-thing for a year or so).

    Just a comment about the blog – it may be my firefox, but everything is now coming up against the flower background which makes both your text and the comments very difficult to read.

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  40. I have two summers. Fake summer (only in the 100s) whilst kids are off school, and proper summer (kids went back to school last Monday) when we have to work out how to get through a least a month of 105-115s….it hitting 114 today. But as everyone say “Arizona, it’s a dry heat” and I’m very glad of that, the heat is bad enough but I don’t think I could take that and humidity.

    In much happier things, that dress is gorgeous. The colour really suits you and has renewed my interest in the pattern, which I’ve been resisting buying at various sales for a while now. It’s the perfect summer frock, love the combination of the happy print and stretch lace.

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  41. Pam says:

    Full fledged fabulousness! I have this pattern but have resisted…did you have to do any adjustments? I’m not so sophisticated at those…but I love the basic dress. And now you get all tremendous and throw this beautiful orangeness up…I’m not sure how much longer I can hold out!!!!

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  45. Kim Dimond says:

    Not sure how I came across your blog. Although I personally do not blog ,I spend a lot of time in the online sewing community validating that just like me most seamstresses (had the word sewers there at first but yet that seemed weird) do not look like the the pattern models but a lot of the design looks fantastic on our not so perfect physics. I work for a fashion design company , Southern Tide, but it is primarily menswear . No real inspiration although I made cool baby bibs for the expectant dads in our company that mimicked our preppy sports shirts. I work with the logistics of fashion not the design area. I guess I started identifying with you in April with your lamenting on the demise of Hancock. I thought “same thing here”. Then this last post with the local moonshine purveyor, had me thinking where is this gal? I new you were in the south with your Mary Jo’s reference. Started looking at your historical posts and realized I needed to say “Howdy neighbor! ” I have been sewing primarily for a 3 and 6 yr old. Today I start sewing for myself again. Thanks for the inspiration my fellow Andersonian.

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  46. Anne, I don’t know why your not on my blog reader anymore! Anyway following you on bloglovin now so won’t miss anymore of your fabulous creations, like this one! Love that colour.

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  47. Pingback: Welcome to Tribute Month! | Sewcialists

  48. I know from previous visits to countries with donkeys that they can be finicky. So the fact that you are now ‘pals’ is a huge achievement.
    Summer here is usually around a lot and we get gusts of cold snaps, like this weekend. Looking at your perfect Summer dress gives me more style ideas to ponder.
    You’ve paired great fabrics to keep Summer happening. I hope you enjoy the warmth is the style at which you have become accustomed.

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  50. Ahhhhh, now this is close to perfection. I love a fitted bodice on you (well, to be fair, on most things that are human shaped) and I love the colour on you and, well, I just think the whole thing is freaking awesome.

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