Liberty print dress…

Went to Liberty a few weeks ago and as a treat bought myself 2metres of this totally gorgeous fabric

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So pretty, and so many lovely colours in it. I love the background colour, which is a sort of khaki green. Think this will go with nearly everything.

I was going to make another Mathilde blouse, but once I’d cut the pieces out I saw I had a quite a bit left over. Not enough to make another garment but enough that it felt like a waste. I decided to see if I could add the fabric to the bottom of the back and front panels and make a dress.

Yes I can.

Yes I can.

I attached the bottom to the top using french seams. I’m really pleased with it and felt it worked well. I remembered to  graduate the side seams outwards. Gives the dress a bit of an A-line shape. Now for the pictures and as usual there will be lots.

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I love that you can barely see the join.

I love that you can barely see the join. I think I managed to pattern match quite well.

I just adore french seams, and look at that lovely dart.

I just adore french seams, and look at that lovely dart.

The inside is almost as pretty as the outside. So I had to take some pictures.

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Back to the outside.

Can't see it too well but I have a daisy on the cuff on both sleeves in almost exactly the same place!

Can’t see it too well but I have a daisy on the cuff on both sleeves in almost exactly the same place!

Modelled by Gerti...

Modelled by Gerti…

Modelled by me...

Modelled by me…

One more, just cos I love it so much.

One more, just cos I love it so much.

I”ve done some of my best sewing so far, on this dress. I didn’t rush it, took my time. And made it as close to perfect as I could. I’m really happy with the gathering on the sleeves at the cuffs.

I can never manage to get all the creases out of my fabrics, think I might need a new iron.

I bought something else whilst I was in Liberty. These gorgeous Baby bow scissors, by Merchant & Mills. I look at them every time I go to M&M but wasn’t sure I really needed them. And then I saw them in Liberty and decided I had to have them. They are the best things ever. They sit on my sewing machine whilst I’m sewing, so are within easy reach for snipping any annoying threads and such like. Means I don’t have to keep my larger pair next to the machine all the time.

Aren't they cute?

Aren’t they cute?

July 2014: Liberty print dress. Three stages to the perfect length…

I made a top.

Here it is.

Here it is.

Wasn’t happy with it (can you see the look on my face?), felt it was too short, and simply not good value for money. At £22 a meter I thought it a bit expensive to be a short top. So whats a girl to do? Add some length,

length added.

length added.

thats what……..

I liked it better with the added length, but decided it was now too long, so I took a few inches off again……..

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Now I’m very happy with it, although it might not look like it from my face! I finally settled on this length as being perfect for me after wearing  a beach dress that was this length and being really happy and comfortable in it. So there you have it. Three stages to the perfect length dress for me!