Sunny Cerise

I've had this stunning fabric in my stash since last summer and I just love the colour! With the beautiful weather we've been having in the UK at the moment I really felt the need to use it.

I'd had my eye on a pattern from Burda Magazine (12/2011 design 107). It was a beautiful dress in soft pink jersey fabric, but was also suitable for woven fabrics. I'd wondered about this pattern, as although I love the style, it's not the sort of style I usually choose as I do not have much bust and find this type of dress often gapes at the bust.

I decided to give it a go. I made a toile (blogged about here) and adjusted the bust gathers and central panel to fit under the bust and waist well. The original sleeves were awful and just looked all wrong. I made adjustments to under the arm and the fullness of the sleeve, I also removed the gathers from the skirt front, but kept the inverted pleat.

The upper back had too much excess fabric and the pleat detail just looked awful, so I adapted the back bodice to a simple piece using my self drafted block. I also added a modesty panel at the front as the original was too low.

I've been reading Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire Schaffer

I've tried to use a few of the techniques in this dress. I used a bias facing at the back neck edge.

and eased the fullness of the skirt hem by using a pulled gathering stitch. I also hemmed by hand - which I don't normally do. I did however neaten all the edges with the overlocker.

Generally I'm quite pleased with the results although I'm not entirely happy with the neckline.I'll just end up wearing  a scarf with it, as I do with most things that I wear.