For as long as I can remember I have wanted to make my own dresses, but until now I have always struggled to make that wish a reality. So many times I have gotten as far as cutting out the pieces or part way through sewing them together, and then given up. I really dislike following patterns and on top of trying to use a pattern, in the past I’ve always picked ones that were far too complicated and time consuming, resulting in me getting overwhelmed, confused and frustrated by the whole process…
But today I actually completed a little frock! And it was really, really easy! And I love the end result! The difference was, this time I didn’t try to use a fancy pattern. Instead of fussing about with complicated instructions and lots of pieces, I thought about my favourite simple dresses and followed my instincts to make something similar. I used the shift dress in this book as a guide, then improvised the rest. I added an elastic waistband, a cute bow and patch pockets, and I didn’t worry about putting in a zip, as the elastic waistband makes it loose and stretchy enough to slip on without one. The dress is made out of a vintage sheet, and the pockets and bow are made of scrap fabric from an old dress that I thrifted for 50c. The whole thing cost about $6 to make!
I’m so very pleased with the way my first dress turned out. I think it would be lovely for a spring picnic and it’s got me looking forward to warmer weather. It’s also got me planning a whole collection of little homemade frocks! I’ve already started work on another one made of adorable kitten print fabric. Reuben wasn’t home today to take pictures, but hopefully over the weekend we’ll get a chance to take some shots of me wearing my lovely new dress. And if I get a wiggle on, maybe wearing the kitten dress too!
Have you made anything lovely lately? I’d love to hear all about it!
