Seriously. Out of perhaps 50 photos, this is the only one in which I have my eyes open, don't look like I weight 18 stone, am not grinnning like a loon/talking and therefore making that 'ooooo' face and you can actually see the dress which is, after all, the entire reason for the photo shoot.
I finished this dress a few weeks ago, but it's taken this long to palm my kids off on someone (Adam) long enough to get my sister to snap a few pictures of me. Incidentally, I am now even more impressed at Charlotte's regular outfit posts (like this one, which I actually shot). She merrily strikes poses (usually in front of a tripod, not even an actual person) on the side of roads, in front of people's garden gates, and at almost any random location throughout the city. She is bonkers. We got honked at by a passing car during our photo shoot today (outside the local Royal Mail sorting office, on the side of a busy road) and she cheerily said, "oh, that happens a lot, I don't really notice," or words to that effect. Bonkers, I tell you.
I had to behead myself here. My face was just too ridiculous for words.
Anyway, the dress. I made it from some lovely Liberty print corduroy that I bought a couple of months ago with the intention of turning it into this dress (you can see the rest of the 'autumn palette' I'm hoping to sew with in this post). I'm really pleased with the whole thing, which I'm treating as something of a wearable muslin, as I'm hoping to use this pattern again.
Project notes - Lisette traveller dress
- The fabric is a Liberty print corduroy, bought from Fabrics Galore
- The pattern is Simplicity 2246, the Lisette Traveller Dress. I sewed View A.
- I cut a size 14, and, amazingly, it's a bit big for me in places (not over my ginormous post-baby bust and hips, of course).
- As with all of Liesl Gibson's designs, this pattern is beautifully designed, the instructions are simple to follow (even for slightly more complex areas, such as the one piece collar and stand) and the finished product looks professional and stylish (or it would do, if I'd bothered to fit it slightly better). She is a really good designer, of both kids and adults clothes.
- I need to make some alterations to this dress. I will alter this dress and the pattern pieces for future versions (there will be future versions, I guarantee it, of all the views. This is a great and versatile pattern).
- The waist needs to come in a couple of inches, either with darts or just by lopping some out of the side seams - I'll probably try that first and go for darts if it doesn't work. I'm not looking to make this a super-slim-fitting dress, but it would be good to look a little less like a pillow tied in the middle when wearing it -I'm not sure I'd need to do this with a drapier fabric, but the corduroy rather stays stuck away from my body where there's excess fabric.
- When I first made it, I thought the dress was too short for my stocky little legs, and was planning to add a couple of inches to the next version, but now I see the pictures, I think it's probably OK. I'm 5'6", for the record.
- I think I may have actually mucked up the sleeves, but I'll double check the length of the hem allowance before I make another version. The sleeves are a bit long or a bit short, depending on your point of view and whether you want to roll them up or not. I think with a cotton lawn or chambray, I'd make them a fraction longer so as to roll them up, but if I were to make another heavy weight one in corduroy or similar I'd make the sleeves a little narrower and shorter, so there was no need to roll them up.
- I'm planning on making View C next, perhaps with a Liberty print cotton lawn for the upper and a light denim for the lower portion. But I am determined not to give into the temptation to start until (a) I have sewn the simple A-line denim skirt that I really need and (b) I am a bit less chubby. Possibly reducing my biscuit consumption a fraction would assist with the journey to pre-pregnancy weight.
As this dress has formed part of my (small contribution) to Celebrate Color with Rachel Hauser of Stitiched in Color, so I'm linking up to October's Sewing Challenge. If you're visiting from there, hi, welcome, and I hope that you're enjoying your visit to my little space!
I am Not Good at photo shoots. Sorry.
