Spring is for ICE CREAM - S1801.

Oh hello there corner of the internet that I call my own... I seem to have forgotten about you. Sorry. But life happens.

But I did not forget about sewing, I have some new bits to post over the next few weeks! Stay tuned..

First off the rank is a dress I cut out over a year ago which has sat in the to sew pile since then! But the beautiful weather Melbourne has had recently quickly pushed it to the top of the list.

Paddle Pops - because.

It's Cynthia Rowley 1801 - A simplicity pattern. Now - I know these pattern companies have a terrible wrap for being off in sizing etc... But Simplicity. I'm saying it - I LOVE YOU. You fit me out of the packet (going by the finished measurements) - including lady lumps, and waist and hippies. Yay! I made view A if your interested and made 0 alterations to the pattern, I just cut it at the finished garment size rather than recommended size - which was two sizes smaller for the record.

The dress came together in tiny increments of 30-45 minute sewing at a time. My new job has a lot of new learning for me to do, which unfortunately has eaten into my sewing time, so I am far slower at whipping makes up at the moment. I am trying to get in a few nights a week of small time sewing to improve my output, and so far it seems to be working.

The fabric is a cheap cotton poplin I purchased from the sales rack in spotlight about 2 years ago. BUT. It is bright, has ice creams all over it, and makes me ridiculously happy with the tweeness of it all. I think it may have too much body for this pattern (check those sleeves yo!), and I am definitely going to make her up again in a fabric with a bit more drape.

I went to Instagram to vote on the sleeves - everybody reported back a resounded CHOP 'EM OFF! But the rebel in me is kind of attached now that they are all sewn in with pretty little hems... I wore it to a baby shower today with the sleeves on, in person, all reports indicate to keep the sleeves.. Now I'm stuck!

Keep or chop people!? Help me sort this tragedy out!

The waistband is faced, and closes the inside of the dress up nicely. It was my first time inserting a side seam invisible zipper - I tried inserting the pocket with the side seam, and my brain actually failed to comprehend how that was supposed to happen - on two consecutive days. So I ripped it out, and just inserted the zipper, sans pocket, and it probably needs to be redone, but I had already sworn
and worked myself up about that seam enough... that it can stay for the time being..

The front and back pieces are slightly gathered into the yokes, giving a nice fullness at all the seams. Again, I think this would look gorgeous in a drapier fabric, but I still like the effect. The front bodice is definitely lower than I would normally wear, but I think the fullness of the sleeves balances out the frontal cleave display.. The front bodice is finished with a facing, which makes for a clean finish. The only topstitching I did was on the sleeve and bottom hems. I was going to slip stitch them, but after stitching down the wasitband facing I couldnt bring myself to sit up another night doing it.. So under the machines it went.

Please excuse the wrinkles - Photo's were following a day of wear!

I zipped all the exposed seams through the overlocker, choosing a white thread as I don't have any blue thread. All in all I am counting this dress as a win. It will get some serious wear this summer, and I really like it paired with my watermelon shoes.

All the details:

Pattern: Simplicity - by Cynthia Rowley 1801

Size: 12

Alterations: ZERO!

Fabric: cotton poplin - ice cream print from spotlight
Shoes: Modcloth - watermelon heels.

Cost: I can't even estimate on this make I'm sorry - it was all purchased and cut too long ago!

See also: Tilly, from T&TB, Dolly Clackett (the darling Roisin) & thread carefully.

Sooo... Keep those sleeves of give them the chop!?

..xx..

Also - can you believe this cat? What a creep.