We had a family christening today, always a lovely day and today we were blessed with beautiful weather too. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been making myself a new dress.
I chose some gorgeous soft cotton from my stash, I’m pretty sure I bought it from Maggie Tuite on facebook, it feels as beautiful as it looks. I was actually looking at the inside when I pulled it from my stash, thinking that’s a pretty muted design…then I opened it up and thought Wow! I fell in love with it all over again! It’s lightweight whilst retaining a little body so it’s lovely to sew too. It also goes nicely with a linen coat I made a couple of years ago.
Having lost weight this year (1.5 stone award this week woo-hoo! -21lb) I tried on some of my older dresses and found Mccalls 6696 fitted me nicely again. This will be the third time I’ve made this dress and I still love it. Here’s the other two from 2017…
I had about 3.5m of fabric which would have been sufficient had I been making it below knee length as per pattern, however I do like my skirts long, so I was adding 10″ to the skirt pieces, talk about juggling pieces, I literally had a small pile of scraps at the end! The yoke and the waistband are lined with lining fabric and I could only fit everything on with reasonable pattern matching if the everything was cut out across the fabric rather than than down, luckily the feather pattern still worked that way, in fact I think I prefer it that way. The only piece I had to put the other way was the front band, luckily I don’t think it shows too much.
It went together nicely, my machine even managed fourteen buttonholes without too much complaining. The buttons came from my stash too, I actually had 13 which went beautifully and I found one which was very similar which is on the waistband so it’s not really noticeable.
…and yes it has pockets! I do like a dress with pockets! I love this dress, the fabric feels lovely to wear and I love the way it has worked out. It’s my new favourite dress! I think I might be making another one soon 🙂
thecraftycreek 
Really wonderful
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, I’m well chuffed with it 🙂
LikeLike
Love your dress thinking about making myself a dress. I love the look of the “house dresses” from many years ago.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Carmie, I love wearing dresses, in fact I have very few trousers!
LikeLike
That is a fabulous silhouette for you, and congrats on the weight loss, which I have learned the hard way, is much more difficult after menopause. You are looking wonderful and that color is fabulous for you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Kathy, I’ve got 3lb to go then I’ve just got to learn how to maintain it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well done!
LikeLike
Beautiful fabric and great style for you, Margaret – congratulations on it, and your weight loss!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Del, it feels nice to wear.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful dresses and coat!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, it’s made a nice outfit
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lovely outfit all round Margaret. Perhaps we’ll see some peacock scraps on a future scraphappy day 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
The scraps were literally so small I couldn’t even get a second collarband out of them when one wasn’t cut accurately!
LikeLike
It is lovely & so good on you & the coat….perfect….
loving the peacock fabric & esp. the color!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, I just love the colours.
LikeLike
that’s gorgeous fabric and a lovely dress. I have a question though (feel free to tell me to mind my own business) . . . don’t you ever fancy wearing something a bit shorter? Not mini or anything too shrt, just below knee length, for the summer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Claire, I think I’ve always worn mainly longer skirts, I have the occasional knee length one and mid calf is probably a bit more practical than this one, I’ve never been that keen on my legs either, knobbly knees and chubby calves 😀 They’re usually pasty white too because they don’t get any sun so it becomes self perpetuating 🙂
LikeLike
The fabric is amazing and your dress looks fabulous.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jane, it’s my new favourite dress 🙂
LikeLike
Lovely fabric! I don’t believe there’s only one way to use a fabric, and if it works across as well as down, then I’d be doing exactly the same. I’ve also been known to piece sections in to make things work, and it can work pretty well, especially with a busy pattern, so long as you stay on the same grain.
LikeLike
Congratulations on the weight loss, no mean feat. I really love your dress, perfect for the Christening. You look fabulous. I’m with you on longer lengths too, more flattering, and I love the swoosh !
LikeLike
Beautiful fabric and you look terrific, Margaret! Congrats on the weight loss, too! That is not easy to do! 🙂
LikeLike
Gorgeous fabric and great use of it.
LikeLike