Sweets dress!
Guess what? I made another totally weather-inappropriate dress! The sun has been shining a lot recently, and even though it’s still pretty cold, I couldn’t resist sewing up this sweetie jars fabric which I bought last year from Leon’s in Manchester.
New Look 6824
I wore it for the first time yesterday at the park. It was sunny, and I had an ice cream, but on the same day it also hailed AND snowed (luckily not whilst we were outside!). I managed to keep warm(ish) by wearing the dress with boots, thick socks, clear tights, and, when I wasn’t having photos taken, a cardigan, winter coat and scarf!
Back view. This photo was taken inside the Victorian conservatory at the park, which is lusciously warm and houses iguanas, tortoises and bearded dragons.
So, this dress is made with New Look 6824. I first used this pattern in 2013 and haven’t been back to it since. I had to trace a different size this time, and the fit is ok, but not perfect. I made the bodice lining first and treated it as a toile, basting together the side seams and adding in the zip. It seemed fine, but the finished dress has this strange effect of completely minimising my boobs?! It’s like wearing a sandwich board! I think this is because it doesn’t come in underneath, at the midriff. I’ve had this problem a lot with patterns, actually, and often on a traditional bodice with waist darts I need to make the waist darts wedge shaped to take out more fabric under the bust. This is a princess seamed bodice, so I would need to take more out of the princess seam under the bust next time.
You can’t really tell, but I’m sitting down in this photo! I’m sort of perched on the rocks, but I just look weirdly small. Oh well!
I also had to chop off a whopping five and a half inches off the hem. I forgot that the pattern is for a midi length skirt, and I’m not keen on that length of skirt on me. I think unless I’m planning on wearing heels, on the knee or slightly above the knee works best for me and looks better with flat shoes or boots.
It was bloody freezing taking these pictures!
I ummed and ahhhed on whether to use this fabric to make my daughter a dress – it would make the perfect little girl’s dress, wouldn’t it? But, I recently finished making her a dress using a Liberty print fabric, so that’s twice now I’ve chosen Liberty fabrics for her, therefore I surmised that she has been spoiled and I was going to have this fabric (which is not Liberty, of course) for myself. Sorry not sorry.
Very pleasing invisible zip – and a closer view of the fabric!
I’m looking forward to wearing this more in the summer, although I am pleased how good it looked with my ridiculous boots!
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Thread Carefully 
This has turned out really well. At least you will be ready for summer this year K xXx
Haha, yes! Sewing ahead for the coming season has its advantages.
Oh, this is lovely. The fabric is superb and I love your boots.
Thanks! I enjoyed wearing it despite the cold weather. I felt bright and cheerful!
Ya gotta sew where the muse takes you, right? Adorable!
Definitely. What’s the point of having a skill if you can’t have fun with it?!
This is brilliant! The fabric is too nice to be used on somebody else. And now I want ice cream…
Ice cream is good at any time of year!
This is so pretty – it makes me think about planning for spring, I have sewed so little over the past few months – time to plan ahead!
Louise
Hopefully the weather will, at some point, be nice enough to wear dresses like this! For the moment, I’m clinging to my cosier options!
Well done on braving the cold to take these pictures! I love this fabric and the dress looks great on you.
It was a bit chilly! The boots, cardigan, coat and scarf helped a lot though!