In the fall and winter, I pretty much only want to wear clothes that go over snuggly tights or leggings and boots, so when I spotted this soft blue chambray fabric on my last trip to Mood, I knew I wanted to make a cool-weather shirtdress out of it.
I've had this pattern, Simplicity Lisette 2246, for a while now, thinking I'd make one of the other views. But I was browsing new-to-me blog Four Square Walls and saw her gorgeous versions. Exactly what I wanted!
Tragedy nearly struck when I unfolded my pattern to realize I'd somehow purchased the wrong size! I got the larger size by mistake -- if you want it, let me know in the comments and leave your email address; I'll gladly mail it to you. I went to JoAnn's and got the last copy they had of my correct size. Phew! Crisis averted.
The dress is fairly simple to construct and it went together quickly. It doesn't have a true collar stand -- I'd call it a fake collar stand -- so you don't even have to deal with that.
I did have a couple small fit issues. I thought I could get away (I don't know why) without cutting multiple sizes, so I had to use the seam allowances, which are down to basically nothing at the bottom, to compensate for my pear-shape. And we all know I almost never make a muslin. Woops.
On the inside, I finished all my seams by serging with white thread. Actually, what I tend to do is pre-finish all my seams -- any seam I know will be exposed, I serge the edge before sewing, when I don't have a whole garment to contend with. I don't know if this is technically "wrong" but it sure helps with fabric like this, which just wants to fray fray fray! Plus, it cuts down on the chance that you accidentally feed a piece of your garment into the serger. Not that I've ever done that. More than a few times.
I made the buttonholes with my automatic buttonhole foot, then I fray-checked over them and then I cut them with a buttonhole cutter.
If you don't have a buttonhole cutter (real talk: I stole mine from my mom) then you should invest in one ASAP (unless, of course, you don't like buttons.) Buttonhole cutters make the best, most professional buttonholes ever. I wish I'd never read whatever tutorial convinced me I could use my seam-ripper. I should have listened to my mother, who suggested a buttonhole cutter.
I also sewed a small plastic snap into the space between buttons at my chest. That way it never gapes, even when I stretch my arms or whatever. Sneaky, right?
The only thing I don't love about this fabric is its propensity to wrinkle like nobody's business.
See?
But it's so soft I can forgive its minor flaws.
And I can forgive my minor flaws, like not easing the sleeve caps enough.
I wore this to Christine's baby shower recently (I made baby stuff for the first time! And didn't take any pictures -- woops. I'll see if I can fix that next month when the baby is here to model.) She liked it so much, she and Mark asked me to be the baby's godmother!
Just kidding. I'm pretty sure they asked me to be the godmother because we're sort of friends a little bit. :-P
But whatever! This dress is just what I wanted and I will definitely make it again.
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