I know it’s out of season for a floral cotton dress, but I just couldn’t get this one sewn earlier when I wanted to…and then once finished it sat for a while before I could get photos. So here is a floral cotton dress amidst the autumn leaves!

I’ve had this vintage pattern for ages, and have always thought it would be a fun pattern to try color blocking with. I had just 1 yard of this charming repro floral from Poppie Cotton, so this was the perfect time to try it.

Their Ahoy Blue color in Country Confetti was the perfect match of blue. I used it for the main part of the dress, and did the center piece front and back in floral.

It took a bit of concentration to get the overlapping V shapes done correctly, but otherwise the construction was pretty basic.

I did end up tearing out the sleeves and doing another version, since the first sleeves I tried were the cap sleeves shown on the pattern – and they were just WAY too big with that size of arm hole cut. So I used the long sleeve pattern instead, but trimmed them off at elbow length where it would still be short sleeve but with more coverage.

I actually think the loose kimono-style sleeve I ended up with goes with the overall style of dress pretty well.

I also did a matching belt for the first time in ages! I had the “aha” moment when I was watching another seamstress’s tutorial on Instagram and she showed how she quickly and easily covered purchased belting with fabric. My goodness, so much easier and better than trying to use interfacing and always ending up with something that’s a pain to turn and crumples anyway with wear! Now I’m likely to want to make matching belts to everything. 🙂

Also how cute are these vintage pink buttons from The Timely Tailor?!? They sold out so fast!

I’ll put it away again until next spring, as it’s definitely a warm-weather style of outfit. But I haven’t had a chance to sew much this fall, and I’m not sad to get at least one photo shoot with our magnificent drop of leaves! They were seriously a foot deep and soft like a mattress.

We have had a splendid mild and slow-fade autumn this year. It’s mid-November, with Christmas prep happening as the holiday fast approach, but meanwhile we are still having short-sleeve-weather days while many leaves are still green on some of the trees around here. I’m loving it!

I have another more fallish dress cut out, and a Christmas one I’d love to get to…but who knows if I’ll have time to sew for myself any time soon. Things are looking pretty crazy over the next few weeks. We’ll see! Meanwhile I’m glad to have this one off my to-do list.