A bit of a pattern hack/franken-dress this one. It’s made up of three patterns:

1. The Sigma dress (skirt)
2. New Look 6143 (top)
3. Cynthia Rowley for Simplicity (straps)

 

 

 

I wanted a really flattering dress for the races that was different to anything I already had made.

I made this in a white polyester panama, and because it’s a thicker fabric I think it worked quite well and looked quite classy. No idea what drew me to white though – I’m one of those people who can’t eat a meal without spilling something on myself. Trying to eat a fajita at arms length in this was an interesting one! 

Although I’ve said the fabric was thick, it wasn’t quite thick enough unfortunately… Why is white so see-through?! I noticed this with about a day left to finish the dress, so that was great. I probably should have started the dress before halfway through the week leading up to the races to be fair. I see to be making a habit of this recently. So yes, it is even lined. I used the gathered version of the Sigm
a skirt for the dress and the other version for the lining. Worked a treat.

I added a fair bit to the length of the Sigma skirt for this dress because being tall as I am I find it comes up seriously short.

The only part of the dress I don’t love is the top. Fitting it on the mannequin it looked so lovely and was such a good fit. Shame my mannequin’s not exactly the same size as me… She’s a bit more chesty. So on me the dress was gapey – like so gapey. Not good. I think I tried to be too clever with it. In the New Look pattern the version which is this shape at the top should have a sheer panel up to the neck, which I’m guessing pulls the top into shape a bit better. I, however, thought I could use just the non-sheer part of the pattern, stick some straps on it and it’d be fine. Not quite.

So I either need to grow outwards a bit, or alter it. I think if I unpick the side seams and take in the side darts then hat should make it less revealing. Hopefully. Any better ideas please let me have them!

Maybe it might look better with the straps too… So much unpicking.

Thanks for reading.