meadow dress

Oh yes, I'm on fire with the dressmaking. Well, for the moment anyway but I know it's not going to last because here I am looking at the calendar and the realisation has set in that school's out this week. THIS WEEK. Aaaaaargh! Plus, with the usual end of term things to attend; prize giving, sports days, rounders match, dada dada dada, my time is being limited yet more.

I can't tell you how much I dithered before making this dress. Nothing to do with the style, nor the fabric even, but the question of whether to line or not! It's tana lawn again, you see, Meadow by Liberty to be precise and call me predictable but yep, I've been back to Fabrics Galore.

My serger and I have parted ways, and after a ridiculously short time together I might add. After sitting around in its box for a couple of months before I finally had my lesson, it was only used for five or six projects, most of them dressmaking and none of them heavy duty like stitching curtains or the such like. Heaven only knows what happened. But good old John Lewis asked no questions, even when I said I'd rather like my money back thank you very much, so I still love them and there are no hard feelings. Only a lack of a serger. And that's actually a pretty darned big deal since it's one of those things that makes you wonder how you ever managed without and I do think its absence may have been a contributing factor as to why I decided to forgo the lining this time. In truth I think a lining adds a touch of formality too, which is not what this dress is all about. This is a throw-it-on-and-have-some-fun kind of outfit and I'm imagining the Model barefoot, playing in the sunshine, walking along the beach without a care in the world.

The pattern comes from Girls' Holiday Clothes, which is a Japanese sewing book for bigger girls. Most childrens' patterns go up to 130 or maybe 140 cm in height but this one starts at 130 and finishes at 150 cm which is not only very handy but there are also some lovely dresses inside. The Model is 'growing into' the 130 cm size, it has to be said, but even so I had to unpick the neckline so I could shorten the elastic across the shoulders because it was gaping massively, but that was no big deal.

Incidentally, when employing a model (but with no intention of handing over cash payment), ALWAYS supply distraction in the form of nourishment, or any other bribery tactics you can think of! I do know I got off lightly this time with plum tomatoes ..

Have a lovely week and wishing blog friends across the Pond a very happy 4th July x