While my sewing this year has so far been on the back burner, I did get this dress made in January. I intended to take outdoor photos as usual, but the day was so soggy and gray and muddy that I had to settle for snapping indoor photos this time.

The pattern I wanted to use was missing the bodice front piece, so after being disappointed for a few minutes, I looked through my pattern collection to find one with a similar neckline. I found one that was pretty close and had a front seam (thankfully so did the skirt), so I used the bodice from that pattern and the skirt from the first and made it zip front instead of button.

Because of making it close on the front, I had to ignore a lot of the construction order and do the front seam and neck finishing last, which felt strange.

It has a slim skirt with a faux peplum sewn into the front at the waist, and the bodice fits well but has plenty of room. I really like how this dress fits. It seems like I finally hit on the right combination for my post-pregnancy size! The only thing I would change next time is making the shoulders a tad narrower and the sleeves a bit more snug.

The fabric is a rayon/poly blend. It is a much happier blend than the housedress I made last year – it feels nice like rayon, but can be washed warm and hardly wrinkles. I wish I had gotten more of it, and may try to squeeze an everyday blouse out of the scraps.

After sewing the facing, I decided on a whim that instead of trying to tack down the facing so it wouldn't show, I would do a bit of embroidery to keep it in place as well as add some trim. So I did a bit of freehand neck decoration, which also helps the zipper tab look like it's supposed to be there, and was quite pleased with the results. I should add hand work more often – it didn't add that much more time!

It was a pretty quick project, despite one rip-out-and-repair moment when I realized I had sewed one side of the peplum into the waist backwards.

Black is the obvious color to accessorize this plaid with, but it goes with blue surprisingly well. I blended the 2 by wearing my bachelor's button bonnet, which is black with blue flowers. It remains one of my favorite hats!

But when I went for a black belt, I was astonished to find I really had no black belts I could wear with it – hardly any black belts at all. Definitely a wardrobe gap I need to remedy. I ended up using a black fabric sash I had made just so I had something the right color.

And since my wiggle worm of a little son was all gussied up in a fancy outfit that coordinated with mine, I had to snap some photos with him. 🙂

I did whittle down my mending pile quite a bit, as well as catch up with some other things, so I'm ready to be back at the machine for my next sewing project. Meanwhile at least I'm pleased with the one thing I've sewn so far this year!