Shirt Dress with Butterick Retro

B5920 was calling my name again ... it appears that I hadn't finished with it, despite having made it twice before.

My first make was exactly to pattern version A. I never wore this dress! The second involved a few alterations to convert it to a maxi with a full length placket, which I wear regularly.

For this latest make I kept the skirt back alteration I made for the maxi version - I much prefer how this falls and is in keeping with the front gathers.

 

I changed up the pockets this time, and made them square at the bottom rather than rounded, for a more modern shirt look.  I am so in love with the neckline and notches I had to keep the notches on the pocket.

This skirt pattern length I cut at 25" and turned up a hem of 1.5". It sits perfectly just above my knee.

The fabric is 100% cotton, 'flocked' is what was on the label, from The Fabric Store during their recent VIP 40% sale. And yes, I bought and sewed this fabric all in the same month!  The dress is unlined and will require a slip to be worn underneath.

Not a lot more to say so will just leave you with some photos.

 

 

Go on, you know you wanna make one now .... :-)

Floral, Beach, Summer, Holiday ...

Happy New Year!  Hope you all ate yummy food 'til your heart was content. I know I did.

I'm looking forward to what 2017 brings, which must be much better than 2016.  I started last year sick and missed the wedding of my very good friend and I ended the year sick, for three weeks if you please!  In between that it was just a big pile of life stuff that I didn't enjoy at all.  By default the blog went into hibernation.

Life is settled again and I begun this year in Rarotonga celebrating my eldest 21st birthday on new year's eve.  Being on holiday called for drink lots of tropical cocktails

 

I had hoped to get a full holiday wardrobe sewn, but work demands and being sick meant that those plans fell apart.  I did get to finish two pieces, so all wasn't lost.  If you follow me on Instagram you would have already seen these plans.  You will also know that both these fabrics a quite different, really bold, compared to my usual choice of fabric.  But hey, it's a tropical holiday!

The Holly Jumpsuit I had made before with a short leg. I really wasn't sure about the wide leg pants in this floral, but Sewbusylizzy said that I should image that it's the same as a maxi dress, which instantly removed any doubts I had.

I really wanted to have pockets, so I drafted some pockets using the Moss Mini pattern as a guideline for the angle and where they should sit in relation to the waist and side seams.   They are perfect!

Although I've worn this jumpsuit a few times (including Christmas Day), I haven't taken the opportunity to get some good photos:-(  For now it's this mirror selfie, but you get the picture - great fit, pockets and I love the full length pants.

My feelings about the holiday dress are a little different.  This is the Mid Summer Nights Dream wrap dress by Papercut Patterns.  I am a Papercut fangirl, and I've had this pattern in the stash for a few years now.  When I finished the dress and hung it on the dress form I was in love.

But then when I tried it on, the side fronts forward of the armpit were gaping, like really gaping! You can get a glimpse of this in the above picture.  This meant I had to unpick the binding and insert a downward dart. Luck the fabric is so busy and the gathers whether the bodice meets the ties disguises everything. I also find that the shoulder straps are too close of the neck.  Otherwise it fits and is really comfy to wear.  I am totally in love with the fabric now it is wearable.

How was your Christmas/New Year holiday?