Summer Dresses

Left dress last years.

Last year I got the sewing bug (other than quilting) and decided to make a summer dress from this pattern.  It was complicated to make and due to ill health took me quite a while.   I loved the finished result apart from the fact that by the time I had finished it I had lost so much weight (not intentional) that it didn't fit.  Taking it apart to make it smaller just wasn't an option - so I decided that now was the time to make it again but in the knee length rather than mid calf.
Day 1: I went shopping for some material and came back with three lengths with the idea of utilising some of my old dress patterns from the 70's.  The trouble with my old patterns is that most are size 14 which related then to 36" bust, 26" waist and 38" hips.  I need size 14 top, but 16 for waist and hips. Buying some trousers from  M&S recently I bought a size 12!  Just shows how sizes are just not uniform these days. I decided to forgo using my old patterns.  I sorted the pattern pieces and ironed them.  The skirt is cut from 3 huge semi-circular pieces that take up the width of the folded material (just).  I played around with the pieces and didn't follow the pattern layout and in the end used less material than stated by making the skirt a fraction shorter so that it fit across the folded width.  I pinned, but didn't cut - and finished for the day.

Day 2: I had a brainwave (or so I thought at the time!) and decided to lay one of the other material lengths under the one I had laid out the day before.  I then cut out the four layers of material so that I would be working on two dresses at once. So following the instructions for making up  I selected the top pieces to do the darts, and gathers on the fronts.  Then I had a panic as I realised I had not cut the back (the pattern piece had got put with ones that were for the lining).  No problem for the original material as I had enough left - but for the second dress I just did not have any material left over at all.

I went back to the shop to buy some more - but couldn't believe they had sold all that had been left on the roll!!  So I had to think out of the box.  I cut the back out of some white cotton and decided to do an applique panel using some of the material offcuts.  I actually enjoyed doing some free motion sewing and think it has worked quite well.  It's certainly different.

Day 3:  I worked for a few hours and completed the tops and the pockets in the skirts.  These are very time consuming to get absolutely right - but I am pleased with the results.

Day 4: I finally joined the tops to the shirts and began cutting the lining pieces.  The dress should be fully lined, but I chose to line the top only and rely on a petticoat to save material costs as it is such a full skirt.

Day 5: Finished the sewing and hems but decided to finish the armholes without adding binding which is what the pattern called for.  I staystiched around the armholes, trimmed and clipped, then hand sewed together.  A neat finish and saved buying bias binding.

Day 6: Finished hand sewing the lining in place at the waist, and made the button holes.  Last year I had made some buttons from polymer clay for a dress, but as the colour wasn't quite right I didn't use them.  But they were ideal for the blotchy print - but I didn't have the right blue to make any for the ditsy print - so will have to buy some to finish of the blue dress.  I just love how it fits, and think the deep front pockets will be so useful.  I have bought another pattern for the last fabric length, so might cut that out tomorrow.