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Hello! I'm Suzannah, a serious DIYer and mom of two little ones. Follow along with my DIY fixer upper house renovations, sewing and crafty projects, real food recipes, and de-stressing goals.
I believe you can love your home just the way it is, AND have the power to design and make big changes to make it better.
I'm also the author of DIY Wardrobe Makeovers!

Made my own ModCloth dress


I saw this dress on ModCloth months ago, way before it was warm enough to wear, and thought, "Wow, that's a unique design.  What a weird combination, actually.  But it's cute!  I could make that!"

So I bought some grey cotton for like $3/yard at JoAnn, used some ivory lace I already had, and added four (weird, in my opinion) two-hole buttons with the metal hole grommets.  The ModCloth ones are probably fabric-covered, but mine aren't.

I did not have the right pattern at all, so I had to modify one (Butterick B4915, now out of print).
I've had this problem twice before and both times ended up just sort of modifying this pattern, I think, when cutting.  Here's essentially what I did when I cut this out:

That piece would be the top, gathered into the bottom and neckline, and I also cut a smaller piece for the lining.  See them together:

I added some vertical tucks to my bodice as well as the gathers over the cups.  I assembled the dress as usual (this is one of THE simplest patterns in the world) and used some of the ModCloth style elements, like the tiny pleats on the skirt instead of gathers, and... here it is!

They look particularly alike in the yellow overhead light of our apartment:

What's funny is, I thought this was a weird color combination, but shortly after I had cut this dress out I saw another, very similar one from Lulu's:

How megasimilar is that?  Although shorter and skimpier. I guess grey and ivory is a color combination to watch this season!

Update: seen here in our engagement pics!

75 comments

  1. I love your version. The bodice was well done.

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  2. fabulous! what a great recreation...seriously your blog amazes me. :)

    Bre @ http://theredbungalow.blogspot.com

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  3. Great job, I want one!

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  4. Your dress looks just like the original inspiration! Love it.

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  5. Ohmygod. That is amazing! And super cute! Where did you get the pattern for it? That dress would totally be my everyday dress!

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  6. So cute! Looks just like the original dress AND fits you perfectly, well done!

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  7. Wow, incredible!! I love the buttons and have been looking for similar ones. Do you remember where you got them?

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  8. Oi,
    Amei!!
    Espetacular!!

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  9. Wow, this is so pretty!! Your skills amaze me!

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  10. This is so cute and it looks great on you! It is totally the dress that I have been picturing in my head to make with some fabric floating around my craft room.

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  11. yours is adorable! i can sew, but not like this! is it alteast warm enough for you to wear it (im in utah and it is 47 for the HIGH today!)

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  12. So Cute. I love the darker gray you used it makes the lace pop better.

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  13. That looks great! The pattern altering really worked out!

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  14. wow! That is gorgeous. I wish I could see something I like and then just make it. I need a pattern sloper or something. Everytime I want to make something I have to find a pattern that is similar to use.

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  15. Anonymous5/06/2010

    boy, you are an amazing seamstress!!!! That dress is adorable - and so well done. Wow!

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  16. You are a genius! And I just so happen to have a ginormous stock of brand new fabric waiting to find the right pattern (see here: http://sewsweetstitches.blogspot.com) I beg of you, PLEASE give us a tutorial!!!!!

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  17. You did a great job replicating your inspiration piece!

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  18. Lovely dress and it looks great on you.
    Kathy

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  19. GOOD JOB!! It's too cute!

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  20. Yours looks better. I am not sure why, but it just does.

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  21. Wow, you make my head spin with soooo many amazing outfits that you whip up so quickly. I always love stopping by your blog. You're a big inspiration!

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  22. Looks beautiful! Great Job.

    xoxo
    www.Flowerchildstyle.blogspot.com

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  23. Ginger5/08/2010

    J. Crew is forever showing gray and ivory together. Love that color combo... always classic. (Actually, I'm happy pairing gray with just about any color!)

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  24. wow that is my fave! gray and ivory love. x

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  25. I like your version more! Great job!

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  26. You are good girl! Really cute.

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  27. I love it! I've really been into sewing with lace lately.

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  28. Aaaw, thanks, folks!
    I just got the buttons at JoAnn's. They were the only choice with the metal grommets.

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  29. Anonymous6/08/2010

    A belated comment -- I just found your blog! But I had to write and say that i love Love LOVE this dress!!! absolutely gorgeous. I yearn. :)

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  30. you did a really great job! looks better than the original!

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  31. i love your version! it looks amazing! better than the original!

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  32. Anonymous11/21/2010

    Wow! Yours looks incredible, maybe even better than the original. I want one!

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  33. that is really impressive. I cant wait to try something similar!

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  34. So cute, how creative of you, thank you for sharing

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  35. Adorable, and it looks great on! Super job.

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  36. Anonymous5/17/2012

    Have you ever made dresses for other people?

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    Replies
    1. Yes, many times, but I don't do custom sewing for customers. I have a post about this here with some recommendations: http://www.adventuresindressmaking.com/2011/09/custom-sewing-etsy-seller.html

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  37. I just saw your dress and i loved it! im thinking about making some this summer, hopefully i can make one similar to this. =]

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  38. Anonymous6/07/2012

    Awesome job! Very cute dress!

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  39. Shelley McMillan Gramlich6/16/2012

    I like yours better!!! :)

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  40. oooh! it's beautiful! I want it :P
    I'm already learning how to sew as well as you do ;)
    Could you send me the patrons? Would be great!
    my e-mail is : melisa.s.saez@gmail.com
    Thanks a lot!!!

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  41. This is beautiful...do you make these and sell them?? I would love one. My email is Lisa.Ross80@gmail.com

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  42. Gorgeous! I really want to give this a try. I might make a mini-sized one for my daughter :D

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  43. Anonymous8/10/2012

    Very cute!

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  44. super cute! i love your version more than the original!

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  45. Anonymous9/01/2012

    I love how yours looks. I'd choose it over the modcloth version easily.

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  46. Anonymous9/02/2012

    Love to sew, crochet, knit and embroider.
    I'm from South Africa. Keep on enjoying what you do. Regards.

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  47. Anonymous10/19/2012

    Hi!
    I know this post was from a while ago, but I was wondering if you know of any patterns like Butterick 4915? I cannot find this pattern and I'm in love with this dress! =)
    I love your blog!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! Sure, the easiest would be to use the top part of the bodice from this pattern http://butterick.mccall.com/b5317-products-9434.php?page_id=155 and use the midriff panel from any pattern. Or, to do more like what I did, take one of these and modify:
      http://butterick.mccall.com/b5317-products-9434.php?page_id=155
      http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m6557-products-22748.php?page_id=108
      http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/v8469-products-7898.php?page_id=856

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    2. Anonymous11/11/2012

      Thanks for all the advise! I think I can figure something out now!

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  48. I love this dress! You did a really good job

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  49. I love this dress, so beautifully made. Great job!

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  50. Anonymous12/16/2012

    I LOVE THE DRESS!!!!

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  51. Is there any way you could upload this pattern? I'd love to make it myself!!!

    iamalighthouse (at) gmail (dot) com

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    1. Hi there!
      I don't have a digital (or paper) version of the modifications I made to the pattern, sorry! But you should be able to do something very similar if you use the same or similar pattern!

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  52. Anonymous1/13/2013

    Well done, beautiful..

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  53. Beautiful job! I love the color combination and the creativity you have in a simple change to a pattern. Thinking on your own!

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  54. Love your choice of colors and that you thought outside the box and revised an existing pattern. Very creative.

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  55. Anonymous2/03/2013

    Your version is very cute. Better than the pattern dress.

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  56. Goodness. I wish i could sew! It is sew cute! ^_^

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  57. Kristine3/12/2013

    How much fabric did you need?

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  58. Ooh, good question... I think about 2 yards. Whatever the pattern you buy says!

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  59. Ooh this is lovely. Might have to give it a whirl. Xxx

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  60. I'm so making this. I have a unique civil war border print that will be perfect. It's very plain and will pull off the understated look you achieved. Thanks for sharing, I think your colors are perfect!

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  61. This reminds me of the Sound of Music for some reason. It is very cute. I love how it turned out.

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  62. Beautiful and btw, urs is MUCH better than that one in the Lulu!

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  63. do you happen to know the original pattern number?

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  64. How do you add those vertical tucks & the bust gathers?

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  65. Lace and grey looks great together!

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