I have a closet full of Leschi tops and dresses.  For awhile there it is all I was sewing because every fabric just seemed to go perfectly with the pattern.  Usually I either lengthen it into a dress or tunic or leave the sleeves off, but this time I wanted to try remixing it into a long sleeve dress.  I had this picture in my head of a simple elastic through the wrist to give the sleeves a bit of volume and the end result is exactly like I pictured.

 

In my previous attempts at making the Leschi into a dress I always ended up making it a bit short because of how high it comes up on the sides.  So I made sure to lengthen it all the way to my knee at the sides and then made the front and back shirt tail hems not quite so dramatic.

The sleeves of this pattern are the perfect width for this remix because all you need to do is lengthen them and add elastic, they are wide enough already to give you the body without being too much fabric with a flowy dress.  For the elastic I simply created a channel at the wrist by fold the hem of the sleeve towards the wrong side 1/4″ and then again by 1/2″.  Stitch in place leaving a 1″ opening to thread the elastic through.  To determine the length of the elastic, just wrap the elastic around your wrist snug but not tight.  Thread the elastic through the channel you created and sew the two ends together and then close the opening.  The rest of the dress construction is the same as the pattern states.

Easy peasy right?

I made it out of the most amazing Viscose Batiste fabric, you guys I am obsessed with this fabric!  I actually purchased it in at least 5 colours from Pacific Fabrics, my local fabric shop.  Unfortunately they don’t have it online, but I did find the fabric at Fancy Tiger in some different colours.  I have also been trying to convince Jess at La Mercerie to get it, so hopefully it is in the pipeline for her fabric releases.  

Because I am obsessed with this fabric I thought I would show you the other projects I have made with it.  You guys I literally would make every single woven pattern out of the fabric.  Do you hear that Jess?  I will buy all the colours if you carry it!

I made this Leschi with a v-neck and ruffle sleeves.  I completely forgot about this top, I wonder if it made it through my huge closet purge a few weeks ago.

I also used 15 yards of this fabric in white to make the indigo dyed quilt for my son’s class art project.  I have never used so much fabric in my life.  But it was the perfect fabric for the project albeit a bit shifty.  I ended up with the softest quilt ever that sold for $3200 at our school auction!!  Heck yah for my first quilt 🙂

As you can tell I am in love with this fabric and so so happy with how the finished dress turned out!