Easy Short Sleeve Dress: Take 2

Hello everyone! It's another Friday afternoon where I've let myself finish work early, so I thought I'd come and show you my latest finished creation. Here it is, my 2nd version of the Pattern Runway Easy Short Sleeved Kimono Dress...

This really is a super easy pattern; my original version (here) was one of the first garments that I sewed for myself, and even with my limited experience at that point it was fairly straightforward. Now that I've had a bit more practice, it came together really quickly, which is always nice and satisfying.

For my first version, I used a poplin and I said at the time that I thought it might be better in a fabric with a little bit more drape. This time, I used a lovely lawn that I found half price in the sales after Christmas (Minerva also have it here if you want some bright flowers in your life!), and I am happier with the end result. Looking back at that blog post, I think I also realise how much easier I find it posing for blog photos now. Don't get me wrong, I'm no model by any means but I used to HATE it, now it's bearable at least!

I didn't completely love the dress when I first tried it on, but then I realised I just needed to add a belt to it - the waist of the dress is elasticated anyway but I need a bit of waist definition or else I end up looking like a bit of a blob. Luckily, I have a couple of belts that go really well with the dress, so I decided to go crazy and use two different styling options for these photos. It may have been sunny while I was posing for them, but it definitely wasn't warm enough to be hanging around in a cotton dress without any layers under/over it and I did get a couple of funny looks!

Having taken two different sets of photos shows how versatile this dress could be - it looks good layered up while there's still a bit of a chill in the air, but will be good once it's warmer too, and it can easily be dressed up or down. Definitely a good addition to my wardrobe.

This button is the only fastening on the dress, which is one of the reasons why it's so quick to sew up and why it's a good pattern for beginners. It's also quite a relaxed fit so you don't need to worry as much about fitting issues as you do with some patterns.

All in all, another successful project as far as I'm concerned! It's being worn layered up for now, but I'm looking forward to the weather being warm enough to wear it on its own - and with the sun shining through my window this afternoon that time isn't feeling as far away as it has been recently!

Pattern Runway Easy Short Sleeved Dress

Here's my latest completed dressmaking project - an Easy Short Sleeved Dress from Pattern Runway.

This project involved a few firsts for me - for a start it's the first dress that I've made. It's also the first time I've used a PDF sewing pattern. I was slightly worried that it would be tricky to get all the pieces together so that they matched up properly but it was so easy, and it's a lot quicker to download a PDF than to go out to a shop and buy a pattern or wait for one to be delivered in the post. 

Having spent the time getting my pattern all nicely sorted, this was also the first time I've altered a pattern. My bust and waist measurements were just the same as the measurements for the large size on the pattern, but my hips were a good few inches bigger (oh the joys of being pear-shaped!) and I didn't want things getting tight in that area, so I drew my own line out from the waist to add just a little bit extra round my hips, like this...

Possibly not the most professional or exact approach but it worked so I'm happy. Other than that, I didn't make any changes to the pattern and it all came together fairly easily - I can't remember anything causing me any major headaches anyway so it must have been OK. Another good project for beginners if anyone else out there is thinking of having a go at making their own clothes.

The material is a cotton poplin that I got half price in John Lewis the other week - bargain! It's peacock blue, which is one of my favourite colours so when I saw it was in the sale I thought it had to be bought.

Looking at the photos, I think maybe it would be better in a fabric with more drape but I still really like it, and I made it to wear out for dinner for a friend's hen party and got plenty of compliments (even from people who didn't know that I'd made it wasn't just my friends being kind!) so it can't be bad.

I'm busy planning what my next garment might be now, there are so many lovely patterns that I want to try - I feel like I'm spoiled for choice at the moment!