The theme of my work social club's Christmas party was 'under the sea'. I thought for a bit about making a mermaid outfit or some other kind of nautical/marine costume and then I remembered I had eight metres of tropical fish printed cotton in my stash. I know you're wondering why I would have eight metres of this fabric and I must admit I wondered the same thing. I purchased it so long ago I can't remember why I got so much of it. I know it was very cheap and for me to have bought that much of it it must have only cost $2-3 per metre. I have a feeling I bought it at spotlight but can't be sure. I must have had some kind of plan for it, curtains maybe?
So suddenly I had a brilliant plan to make a matching shirt and dress for my partner and I out of this outrageous fishy print. My bloke was pretty reserved about the whole idea and his children were absolutely horrified when they saw the fabric but I kept going and got both garments finished (I sewed the last button on my dress 10 minutes before the party started). He looked spectacular in his shirt and was pretty impressed with the quality, he said he'd just expected a bag with holes for his arms and head.
Two people wearing this fabric together looks completely over the top, and if you weren't at a costume party you'd look completely bonkers, so I had a minute of extreme horror when we walked into the party and I couldn't see a single person in costume, only people in normal clothes!! Fortunately once we walked around the corner we found all the pirates and sailors, whew!
To cut a long story short I got the prize for the best dressed woman, which I think I probably got because everyone was so impressed that I'd gone to so much trouble to make our outfits. I've worn the dress again to our December WSBN pretty dress theme picnic and my bloke actually wore his shirt to work on casual Friday. He was delighted that he managed to upset so many of his colleagues with it (his boss hated it) so hopefully it'll have a few more outings. Here's a photo of him in the shirt at work. Check out that fantastic mo, he grew it for Movember and shaved it off on the 30th. November 30, most disappointing day of the year
The technical stuff:
Dress pattern: McCalls 6696
Shirt pattern: Vintage Style 1226
Fabric: 100% cotton tropical fish print
Extras: I used David Page Coffin's excellent Shirtmaking book because I'd forgotten how to do flat felled seams. I bought it years ago with the video. The techniques are fantastic for producing professional shirts. I used a vintage men's shirt pattern, men's shirts don't change much so I just chose one with a slim fit
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Off-grid Chic 
This dress it great! And I have that pattern, it looks loads better made up! Would love to have been a fly on the wall to see both of you in fishy fabric 🙂 Congratulations on winning the best dressed woman. It looked great in person!
Thanks Nikki, it’s the second time I’ve made this pattern up and I love it, I’ll definitely make it again. I love shirt dresses
I absolutely love the dress and the shirt!! Brilliant idea, and fab that yr hubby dared to wear it agsin, it’s a shame when you put so much effort in for someone only to wear it once 😃✂️😃
That’s what I thought too, I made it quite well so I could sell it on Trademe after the party. I was very surprised he wore it again, especially after his children forbade him to. One of his colleagues got married a couple of weeks ago and she asked him to wear it to her wedding but he chickened out on that occasion.
I actually love the dress, I think the print is fantastic!! You can accessorize with so many different coloured sweaters and belts. Not to mention the fit is perfect. post made me laugh – I love that the shirt was so upsetting to your hubby’s coworkers this is the best!! This would be great punishment for misbehaving children, an outing with mom and dad in their matching fishy costumes.
It is a great print isn’t it, that must be why I bought so much of it! What a great idea for punishing children, I’ll keep that in mind, that would actually be hillairous
Oooh, that McCalls pattern is on my wishlist.
But that shirt is all kinds of amazing. I can’t stop scrolling up and having another look. And it really suits a moustache!
Zara, I only just noticed the photo of all the fabrics on your masthead – they are so pretty. Where was it taken?
I think it was a picture off a website with liberty print fabrics Gemma. I think I just did a google image search on liberty prints and it came up as a picture of the bolts in the shop so I cropped it for my banner.
I just love both of them! Haha! Brilliant!
Thanks 🙂
Woman you are nuts and I love it, especially that you are dragging your man along for the ride. This dress is all kinds of fabulousness!
PS: I have Mr David’s pants book, that man is genius!
You think this is nuts, wait til Sunday! It was sort of surprising that I got the man to join in but I think it was just the easy route for him because I was organising his costume and he didn’t have to worry about it. It’s totally fantastic that he’s worn it again though. I got DPC’s trousers book on kindle last week but I’ve only just started reading it. He’s a total genius when it comes to shirts so I’m looking forward to the trousers book, especially for the February Monthly Stitch
That is crazy – but oh so fabulous at the same time. You must have won prize for best costume, surely 🙂
Yes, I did get best women’s costume 🙂
Both dress and shirt are absolutely fantastic. And I’m stoked your fellow is wearing the shirt more than once. These garments deserve to be seen!