This is the April Rhodes’ Staple Dress, that I recently purchased as part of the third Pattern Parcel. It’s a corker! Only took me an evening and an early morning session to cut out and make, ahead of this weekend’s Minerva Craft Meet Up. (More on that later. The short version is I left my talk notes at home, the hotel messed up my booking – and I still managed to have the most awesome time in the history of the sewing universe!)
Back to the dress. I’d been waiting for just the right canvas for this silk/cotton mix bought from The Man Outside Sainsburys. I just love the print. It’s so 21st century! What IS it?
This dress is super-easy to make. It runs true to size, uses only five (count em!) pattern pieces and … that’s about it. The waist calls for shirring with elastic thread. I didn’t have any elastic thread and was in no mood for postage charges, so zig zagged a quarter inch elastic to my waistline. Job’s a good’un!
You want to know what I bought at Minerva Crafts, don’t you? This! On top is a John Kaldor linen and that cerise beauty is a triple crepe. What to make, what to make…
But the burning question is, would you wear a print like this?
I certainly would wear a print like that, I’d snap it up in an instant. Non-floral, non-pink fabrics are to difficult to come by. Fab make. I too love the Staple Dress… I’ve made it twice as designed plus another as a pattern hack.
I personally LOVE the print…I would happily wear it head to toe!
Love the green color/print…very nice finish!
I’m hallways tempted to fly across the ocean to steal that dress off your back. It’s amazing!
You look amazingly electric, Karen. Totally you! I defo would go for that print! I must come and check out your man one day!
I would kill to wear a print like that. I need to visit your man outside Sainsbury’s – feel a trip to London coming on, but it’s a long way from Western Australia! I really like the dress pattern too, might have to investigate…
Love that print! You look gorgeous!
Yes, I would wear a print like that, it’s lovely quirky.
Wow. Definitely the coolest staple dress I have seen so far! Great print and you look absolutely wonderful in it. Also love your hair and the styling with the earrings and shoes! I am making one right now, but it will not be as cool….
This print totally suits the style of dress too! Looks great, well done 🙂
That’s an absolutely stunning Staple Dress – fabric, finish, styling and those shoes are fab too.
Oh yes I would wear a print like that. Love it!
That print is TDF!!! I love it and the dress. You look smashing!
Smashing… That sounds like a very British word! I can see you in this dress, Elizabeth.
I would live and die in a print like this. It looks fantastic on you!!
Great choice of fabric. It makes the simple line of this dress much more interesting. In the top photo, it almost look like there’s a secret godet on one side of the skirt. Took me a while to realise it’s just optical illusion. Too cool for school!
It was great to meet you this weekend Karen. The dress is fantastic on you, the print really works on the simpke line of the dress.
Oh! I think this is my fave version of this dress so far! I love the print and would absolutely wear it, now that I’ve seen it made up (although I might have been a bit scared of it on the bolt!). Love!
So chic! I’m not that crazy about the staple dress pattern because it IS so simple, but I think with a fabric like this it works perfectly! Such a beautiful print, it doesn’t need a complicated dress to shine.
Karen, I so would wear a print like this and the dress is wicked…and the shoes are to die for! p.s. have you proposed yet to your fabric man??! 😉
I’m waiting until I’ve saved up enough for the honeymoon. I’m thinking Haiwaii.
Oh yes Hawaii…definitely! He can supply the fabric for your honeymoon wardrobe!
I love the dress and the fabric is sooooo gorgeous. Wish I had a fabric man outside my local Sainsburys.
That print was amazing in real life! I bought this pattern package and really need to make things from it. Your talk was great and it was good to say hello to you.
I would wear that dress in a heartbeat. The print is lovely. Nice to see something that isn’t a floral. Very modern and totally cool. x
I love it! Fabulous fit and gorgeous fabric – job well done I say! Stunning shoes too by the way 😉
I love the print! If only fabric men hung around outside Sainsbury’s everywhere…I wouldn’t buy anything from men hanging round outside Sainsbury’s round here!
What a stunner of a fabric! Does The Man Outside Sainsburys have more do you think? I’m considering jumping on the tube to find out, purely speculatively. Interesting to see the Staple dress pattern. Have spent the weekend sewing the Burda style Anda dress, which seems similar.
He had three rolls in different colour ways and prints. I know someone bought it in a blue this weekend. But I’ve told a lot of friends about it and I am not sure there will be loads left.
Thanks Karen! Your piece of fabric intelligence is much appreciated. Given the man outside Sainsburys’ reputation for fabulous fabric, a dash up the Victoria line seems worth the punt.
I love this print. I’ve seen a few of this dress made up around the blogosphere and for most of them I’ve thought ‘meh!’ But this print really brings the dress so life. Amazing canvas for it. Gorgeous
Ditto Helen above. I don’t think I would have had the foresight to imagine how it would look made up, maybe it comes with experience? Looks fab, and cute shoes complete the look.
If it’s any consolation, TMOS gave me a very quizzical look when I bought it. ‘But what are you going to make with it?’ he asked. ‘A dress!’ I told him.
Love it. WANT IT!
It was lovely to see you as always Karen! You’re talk was brilliant and I was loving the dress!
For some reason it reminds me of Spiderman but its lovely and yes,I would wear it!
I would be all over this fabric. Looking at it makes me feel like I’m riding Space Mountain. I love Space Mountain.
I love the way you’ve styled this, you look like a space-age twist on 1930s chic!
This is a very flattering look for you – top to toe. Love the oval-ness of your face contrasted with the hi-tech print. I’m an app developer (iOS), so I think it looks like primitive 3D rendering, with all the triangles of OpenGL. (and would totally wear this, obv.)
Ah, thank you! I felt it had to have some basis in something really, truly IT!
I love this on you Karen – the style, colour AND print! Perfect combo in my book.
I really love the fabric – I think it looks hi-tech in nature. It is super cool and you look great in it! Wish we had TMOS here in Australia!
Ooh, you look very proper with your hair like that, Miss Karen! Is that really you? I love that fabric (which I would definitely wear) and I second Rachel’s comment re wishing we had TOMS here in Aus. Then again, think how much smaller my stash is without the lure of his fabrics…
This is a great print that i would definitely wear. I love that you showcased it with a lovely dress with simple lines. It is very flattering.
It’s an awesome dress in an amazing fabric! Love the print!
I think the print is amazing. To be really honest, I have not been so overwhelmed with this pattern so far. I found it just a little dull looking, but you have just made me change my mind! It looks AWESOME in this print!
I want to visit the man outside Sainsburys! that fabric is amazing! Dress looks fab and so glad you had a rockin weekend despite the mix ups!
Is there really a man outside of Sainsbury’s selling fabric? I can’t go check it out because I am stuck here in California. Please explain. Thanks.
Totally would wear this print. It looks amazing on you!
I had dismissed this pattern but it looks amazing on you!
What a complex pattern … it must have been a hit with your friends (and if you haven’t worn it outside this pic, do it … this looks original and incredible)!
It looks like the wireframes we use in 3d modelling. I love it but it would be just *too* geeky in my circle of friends. It looses its abstractness if it just reminds everyone of work!
Oooh, you’re version is more than a bit amazing! I thought that pattern would make a good canvas for a fabulous print and you’ve totally proved me right. xxx
The print really reminds me of the backround of Max Headroom?! And also of the Future Zone from the Crystal Maze. So if I ever fulfilled my ambition to go on the Crystal Maze and meet Richard O’Brien and also put my theory about the most efficient way to gather gold tickets in the Crystal Dome, I would wear this print. But you know me, Karen. I’d wear this print to buy lentils or to go to work. It’s fabulous and this dress is a great canvas for it.
the shoes. and the print. just fab. just simply jealous of your intense relationship with the man outside sainbury’s. but who did the shoes?
Oh my word – that fabric is wonderful! Just what you need for such a simple shaped dress. You ARE the Matrix, all by yourself 🙂
Love the print. Bought the pattern and this makes me want to try it out.
Glad you had a great time, and your dress rocks.
The fabric was born for this dress and I would definitely wear this print anytime (I’ve said this before) plus I loved it in combination with your crown 😉
answer: yes. also: GIMMIE.
Looking great, Karen! I loved seeing this in person on Saturday – you looked brilliant. I enjoyed your talk very much as well, well done!
Sally
Why yes, yes I would! Now I am scheming of a way to go meet this mythical ‘Man Outside Sainsburys’ where you seem to pick up so many gems!! To me the print looks a bit like you’re caught in a phosphorescent fishing net! I LOOVE it! Perfect for the staple dress!
You can wear that print ANYWHERE! Don’t be afraid to be unique!
Not that you don’t always look good in your photos, but as soon as I saw this post, it struck me that it all come together beautifully. Love the fabric ( yes, if I was in Walthamstow now, and it was still available, I would be shameless in copying you). Also the styling and hair works great.
Yes, I’d wear that print! Although I’d want it in a different colorway. It reminds me of the cover of a Harcourt Brace algebra textbook from the 1970s. Also, of those yarn-wound-around-nails artwork so popular on the walls of my parents and their friends, from the same era. And 1960s Spirograph designs, the ones in which the cog unlocked itself and made your pen sail across the page in weird ways, totally messing up the desired effect but still interesting in itself. I had a four-color pen to use with my Spirograph. I miss that pen.
Yes yes yes! I bought it in blue and can’t wait to make a shift dress to show it off 😀
I LOVE this fabric – it’s fantastic! I also like the idea of just sewing some elastic to the waist of the dress. I have this pattern but doing the shirring has been putting me off.
oh i totally love the fabric and the look for you, you look so young and beautiful 🙂
Ok so i am sure i am not the first to say this but you TOTALLY need to marry the man outside Sainsbury’s, i don’t care what he looks/thinks like, just THINK of all that free fabric. Failing that, can you interview this man, he has god-like status around these parts 😉
Tres chic!!
I love this print! I own a few dresses in similar style, both for summer and winter. They’re great to sew and wear, too!
Although you thought that the Minerva Quiz on Saturday was hilarious aside I thought I would let you know that it made me think!! This afternoon decided to make a 3 block colour dress – some linen fabric bought on a recent trip to Brighton. Whilst ironing the neutral, grey and red pieces a light came on in my brain!! I was keen to cut it out but guess what? I only went and washed it!!!!! So your quiz has resulted in one very slack sewer changing her ways 😄 your words are my bible St Karen!!
St Karen! I like the sound of that! Congrats on your pre-washing. We’ll make a Sewing Queen out of you yet.
Superb dress and those shoes… Oh my!
Hells yes I’d wear that neon tron fabric print. I spent all day at Minerva looking at your dress forlornly that I’d never find fabric like it.
Anywhoo you were ace at Minerva (you should definitely do more public speaking) and had you had very good footwork on the dance floor 🙂
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I love that print with a fiery passion, and you look fab. I’m tempted to bribe you into buying me some and shipping to Canada. Because, you now, you have nothing better to do with your time….or maybe TMOS will be willing to start doing mail order, using you as free advertising!
How different is the Staple dress from Burdastyle’s Anda? They look almost the same, but I’ve only made the Anda.
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