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Here is the dress.

I’ve just completed my first Building Blocks dress! I was quite challenged but I am happy about completing it (even with the imperfections.) The Tanzanian fabric was given to me by the mother of the child. Maybe I should have paid more attention to the placement of the design. It’s pretty busy…perhaps inevitable with this fabric. The mom is ver…[Read more]

I was looking at your Building Block Dress book today on Amazon and I was thinking, I wish there was a Building Block Dress book for Women’s dresses. Do you have any plans in the future to do a grown up Building Block Dress book? Also, and I’m sorry if i’m asking this on the wrong blog, or in the wrong discussion but why doesn’t simplicity sell…[Read more]

Thank you for responding! I will use the lighter weight as your reason makes sense. I appreciate your feedback!

Hi Nancy, the African Wax Prints that I’ve sewn with have been Vlisco which is 100% cotton base. I’ve thought of them as having the weight and thickness of a quilting cotton but the weave and quality of a Liberty lawn! Perfect party Frock fabric.
I would think that a quilting cotton collar would work fine and I doubt it will matter which fabric…[Read more]

I am trying my first Building Block Dress!
I am using an African print fabric which was given to me. I try to avoid polyester but I’m doing it for a friend who would like it. The fabric feels ok after washing but is on the lightly woven side. We decided it needed a plain colored collar and I got a quilting fat quarter which feels a bit heavier t…[Read more]

Thanks so much for these suggestions. I’m interested in your recommendation for Fit for Real People. That title has come up several times lately, so it’s definitely something I need to check out. I have cut out the pieces, mostly in the XL, and figured it would be easier to take away than to add. Yesterday I got the pieces cut out and got have…[Read more]

Agreed, or you could go the reverse route and start with the large pattern and use the Fit for Real People book to help you adjust the body of the shirt to a larger size. To me that seems like the easier route, but either way would work.

If it’s just the shoulder width you want to change, I’d probably try a narrow shoulder adjustment on the size x-large yoke to get to to the width you need. Then you don’t have to mess with trying to get it to match up to the x-large body parts.