Easter Sundress!

I planned to make this dress a very, very long time ago.  I bought the fabric well over a year ago (I was trying to decide what to do with it here), and it took me months to decide to spring for a pattern to  make it into.  I decided on this lovely Gathered Pocket Sundress pattern from Pattern Runway on Etsy, and FINALLY got the guts to cut into my beautiful, beautiful fabric that came all the way from Mood.

 The pattern photos looked like this:

Photo from Pattern Runway, found here

I KNEW I'd be making something that had pockets in it, and I loved the look of this dress even if I was a little scared to death in my heart about the invisible zipper, seamed bodice, fitted waistband, etc.

And it turns out I may have been right to be scared.  But it all came out okay in the end.  Here's my final result:

Not bad, eh?  And here's the back:

Not terribly exciting.  BUT look how well I matched up the pattern!

I don't have great photos of the pocket detail, but I did really like the way they came together.  There is slight gathering across the front of the dress, which continues along the contour of the pocket.  And I like the method used for binding the pocket, even if the way the pattern explained cutting out the bias strips was confusing.

However, you will notice that I am wearing a belt in all of these pictures.  I do like the way it looks belted, but that was not my intention as the dress already has a fitted waistband.  But I will only ever wear it with a belt, because of the issues I had constructing the dress.

I haven't sewn many things from patterns, and the things I have sewn were mostly for children and were mostly pretty forgiving, loose dresses.  So for this one I really paid attention.  I mean, I paid actual money not only for the fabric, but also for LINING FABRIC that you don't even SEE, AND for a PATTERN!  This one isn't turning out to be cheaper than buying a dress at all!  So I wanted it to be perfect.  I took all of my measurements and compared them to the measurements given in the pattern and cut out the sizes recommended for the pattern pieces.  I was really careful with my seam allowances.  And this dress came out HUGE!  I could tell after assembling my bodice that it was too big, so I took some fabric out of the back (about an inch on each side) while inserting the zipper, but it wasn't enough.  I had to take another inch out of the front and sides to keep things even, which made my waistband wonky--enter the necessity of the belt. I reduced the size of the bodice by over 4 inches all together, bit by bit, which was really frustrating.  Especially because the directions are mostly easy to follow and give you really nice finishes--so even more frustrating when you have to take it apart and hack it up.  I normally wear about a size 6, and according to the measurements in the pattern I was a size medium for the waist and hips, and a small for the bust.  I wasn't too worried about the hips, since it's a loose skirt, but I figured I should be pretty precise for the fitted bodice.  I guess this is why people make muslins, but ...I just don't have the time or patience for that (or the spare fabric), and, never having done it before, how does that even work?  After you get the muslin to fit, do you take it apart and use it for pattern pieces, or what?

OK, FINE, you can see my head.

Anyway, I still do love the fabric, and it feels absolutely lovely.  I lined the skirt as well as the bodice because I didn't want to worry about a slip, since the fabric is pretty thin.

And how about this--I swear, I did not even plan for our family to be so coordinated.  My red necklace was a last minute addition, and my husband's red shirt was a surprise to me.  But I am impressed with myself, as I sewed most of the garments in this photo!  Little Sister's dress is the Cece Dress from Popolok Designs (I did a pattern test for it), and The Boy is wearing an upcycled button down and a pair of pants modified from the Kids Pocket Pants from Made.

Oh, hey, if you have a minute?  I've entered this dress into the Project Sewn Sundress Week contest.  Would you be a dear and click over there?  The "sewalong" links are at the bottom of the post.  If you like mine best (YOU LIKE MINE BEST), vote for it!  I could win fame and prizes!  Voting opens on Friday, May 17th.