tulip dress | the girl in a tea cup

Some projects feel extra special from the very beginning, and this one definitely does. I’ve just finished sewing The Assembly Line Tulip Dress in pale blue Hello Kitty Liberty Tana Lawn – a fabric that you can only buy in Japan. It was kindly picked up for me on a recent trip by a woman I met at Sew Seasonal (thank you again!). This fabric is such a treasure, and I was determined to make the most of it.

I bought 5 metres and managed to eek out not only the Tulip Dress, but also a pair of matching Charlotte knickers – because how could I resist a co-ord moment with something so rare?

For the dress itself, I cut a size small, which according to my measurements gave me around 5 cm of ease at the bust and waist. The silhouette is simple yet striking, and I love how wearable it feels. Since Liberty Tana Lawn has such a soft, drapey hand, I added a tulle petticoat underneath to give the skirt a touch more volume – and it really makes the tulip shape shine.

Styling-wise, I’m keeping things playful: I’ll be pairing my new dress with my red Mary Janes from Scarlet Jones and my Francie cardigan from Lilypond. The pale blue and red together feel cheerful and summery, and the Hello Kitty print adds that perfect dose of whimsy.

This dress makes me smile every time I put it on, and I can already tell it’s going to be in heavy rotation over summer. Cute, comfortable, and just a little bit cheeky – everything I want in a handmade dress.

Pips

tulip3 If you follow me on IG (here) you would have noticed that I recently went on a little holiday to Europe. 15 years in the making and it exceeded all expectations! 5 weeks of feasting, fashion and frivolity. Tulip7

I was lucky enough to stay with one of my dearest friends in Berlin, travel to Paris for 4 days, head over to England for 5 days to hang out with one of my best sewing buddies and then back to soak up Berlin for another two weeks. Tulip8

Whilst I got up to some spending at Liberty of London, my choices for fabric purchasing in Berlin and Paris were rather restricted (and thus subsequently restrained). Tulip4

How lucky am I then to be able to recreate a little bit of Paris with this dress in my home town of Geelong? The fabulous Lilypond is a firm favourite in this small town of mine, specialising in all things French including vintage haberdashery, special homewares and the odd religious icon. Tulip2

On one of her more recent trips to France, Mrs Kim bought back this delicious vintage rayon which I suspect was made in the 1950’s. I’ve missed sewing with vintage fabrics so was quite taken with the print and hand of this fabric. tulip9

The modern aesthetic of the Assembly Line Tulip Dress pattern has been calling me with its clean lines for structured fabrics. But I’ve discovered it also lends itself to a more drapey fabric with a vintage feel. tulipdress_sketch

The bust darts coming down from the neck line sit really well, with the bodice being a looser fit than I usually wear. I sewed a size M noting that the dress would have some ease, and ended up taking out about two inches from the centre back seam to get a slightly closer fit. The skirt is a beautiful tulip shape which lends itself to both structured and drapey fabrics, I think. I lined the bodice in silk satin and hand picked the zip so it feels like a dream to wear. Tulip10

In keeping with the French theme, Bruce captured these images at Lilypond this afternoon amongst the festive decorations and homewares. I think it’s made me look forward to Christmas this year. Tulip11

Curtsey

Photo cred: Bruce. Location: Lilypond. Vintage fabric from Lilypond. Tulip Dress pattern from The Assembly Line. Flower crown from Net-a-Porter. Boots from American Duchess. Tights by Wolford.