I can’t say that I’m much of a planner when it comes to this sewing hobby of mine. I see a pattern I love, consider it and buy it. I see some fabric I love, consider it and buy it and eventually I get round to making the pattern and using the fabric, usually. I really want to get better at this buying and making business, i.e plan, not just aimlessly buy and stash. I want to be that person who decides what they want to make, gets the pattern and gets the right fabric for it and makes it. That’s my aim.
A couple of months ago, I bought the River dress pattern from Megan Neilsen with the intention of making a simple, casual dress. At about the same time, a very kind friend took me fabric shopping at Liberty for my birthday. I chose a beautiful tana lawn, teal or turquoise possibly, covered with large blossom. It was a real treat of a fabric, more costly than what I’d normally buy and I loved the print. I was tempted to keep it for a really special dress, but the thing is, this homeschooling, stay at home mum and minister’s wife doesn’t have many events to go to that call for ‘a really special dress’. Sad, I know, so what’s a girl to do? How about teaming a simple, no fuss dress pattern with a simply gorgeous fabric.
So that’s what I did. The River pattern was a very easy make. There’s the option of a short sleeve, raglan top or dress either in knit or woven fabric. The front and back pieces are virtually the same, but with one side as a v- neck and the other a round neck. The idea is that the dress is reversible, able to be worn with the v-neckline being either the front or the back.I thought it might be fun to make both the front and back have a v- neckline. This meant that I had to make my bias strip a bit longer. I also decided to make three quarter length sleeves with elastic in the sleeve hem for some shape. My final change was to lengthen the dress by about an inch.
I think my changes generally worked but there seems to be some stretching and pulling in the back which I am ignoring. At the moment the dress can be worn with or without the belt as I did not attach the belt loops, but quite frankly, I think I need the belt for better shaping.
The tana lawn is lovely and cool to wear but it is a little see through. I wore it with a half slip for modesty, but I found it a bit uncomfortable, it kept slipping, pardon the pun. A full slip would be better, perhaps I can turn an Ogden cami into a slip, hmm.
This dress marks the end of my summer makes for 2019 as I turn my attention to my autumn and winter wardrobe. With thoughtful layering though, this dress may be a nice transitional piece. I will share my autumn plans and makes later. This is a first for me, actually planning my makes. We’ll see how that goes!
Theunpickstitchpapers 