Pattern Magic Bow Dress

I made a dress based on this design from Pattern Magic by Tomoko Nakamichi, my unused-until-now favorite sewing book.

The bow is formed by tying together two draped loops, which are extensions of the collar and bodice.

I like how the bow is not a a separate accent but actually part of the dress.

The fabric is 100% linen from Dharma Trading (buy here), dyed in this odd shade of green. It's rather Slimer-esque, isn't it?

I spent time perfecting the dye recipe before committing the whole yardage to color.  My masterpiece contains iDye in chartreuse and Dharma Procion Fiber Reactive dye in avocado and olive drab at a ratio of 6:6:1 respectively.

Secret-of-the-ooze green is not a common zipper color, so I painted the zipper pull of the closest match with acrylic craft paint.

Finishing techniques are up to you. In the book, raw edges are turned under once and stitched.

I fully lined this dress with Ambiance rayon in kiwi, which is attached at the armholes and back of the neck; the front bodice lining, cut from the unaltered basic bodice pattern, hangs free from the bow.

The skirt is a swingy half-circle.  I used the excellent instructions in Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Joseph Armstrong.

My one regret is underlining the bodice in silk organza; the extra body and stiffness make the bow difficult to tie.  

Despite the Japanese text, with focused study, you can figure out from the diagrams how to alter a basic bodice to create your own magic.

If focused study sounds tedious, the English version of Pattern Magic will be released on October 6, 2010 (pre-order here).  The second book, More Pattern Magic, follows on January 19, 2011 (pre-order here).