Rose pink linen Montana

This is a Style Arc Montana dress, made in rose linen from Fabric Godmother which I started sewing in August and finished in September.

I tried the bodice on before I attached the skirt and it looked OK, but once I'd finished the dress the armholes didn't have much leeway in them, so I cut triangular gussets on the bias, unpicked the side seam and inserted them by hand.  It was a bit of a faff, because I'd completely finished the dress (all seams overlocked), but definitely worth it because it's improved the fit significantly.  I do like this pattern, so I'll modify the armholes before I make it again.

And finally!...Now I'm all caught up with this year's knitting and sewing. 

Two more McCalls 7948 dresses

These are both the same, the first is made with fabric I bought a few years ago (I think it's a Kaffe Fassett-designed print?) I love the colours in it.

And the second is fabric which I think I bought last year, or possibly in 2019, with the intention of making it up in a 1930s / 1940s pattern, but it's quilting cotton (as is the blue chrysanths fabric) and I decided it probably wouldn't hang properly - not enough drape - so it's become this.

For both of these I modified the bodice which is now a mish-mash of sizes from 8 (armholes) to 14 (shoulders).  I also lowered the neckline and adjusted the seam allowances at the armholes and neck for bias binding rather than facing.  I may have done this for the blue and yellow striped version as well, I can't remember now!  Both of these dresses also have Bardon pockets and the skirt is 6" longer than the given pattern pieces.

Purple gingham vintage Simplicity 5921

This dress is a wearable toile - I'm going to make another version of this with shorter skirt, deeper frill and long sleeves (possibly more than one version...), but I wanted to get the yoke and armhole fit right before making one with sleeves.  I bought this gingham in John Lewis originally intending to made a shirtdress with it but never did, so it's turned into this.

This pattern was published in 1983, but there are several similar contemporary patterns - what goes around comes around!