FO: Simplicity 2246/ Sew Lisette Traveller Dress

Oh yes, I am a cultured person, hanging around museums, and looking pensive, is my modus operandi

Finally, I finished my Simplicity 2246 / Traveller dress in dark blue.   Yipeeeeeeee.  I started this back in August I think, oh no, checking my past posts I realise I cut it out in June. so that is 10 months in the making.   

This is view A - the classic shirt dress style.  I sewed it in fits and starts from Summer to  the second week of March. It wasn't such a long time in the making because it is a hard pattern to sew, I just kept getting distracted by other projects.  It had been waiting just for the buttonholes and buttons for three months.  finally I sewed those buttonholes in half an hour one morning this week.  And then wondered why I had been putting them off for so long. 

Please note, me-made bag

Another reason why it took a long time to complete is because I made it as a wearable muslin first and so didn't have that shiny lure of a new pattern when making it the second time.

The wearable muslin version

 I  am glad I finished it as I like wearing it very much. Very much. Plus it was getting on my nerves, just hanging up in my dining room, having baby food thrown at it.  A bit like a guest who outstayed their welcome. *

 For fabric I used some blue linen look cheapy fabric from the Rag Market in Birmingham.  It was £3 per metre I think.  it was originally a brighter blue, more like royal blue, but in September I dyed it with an indigo dye as I wanted it to be a very dark navy.  I was aiming to make a very boring, plain, classic shirt dress that will be worn with lots of different accessories, cardigans and footwear. 

For some reason I made the sleeves just above the elbow.  I can't remember why now. 

I used very simple little pale blue shirt buttons, having been tempted by pretty polka dot buttons, red floral buttons and white vintage buttons, I remembered I was trying to keep it plain!



 Bad points: This fabric creased a lot by on the skirt the end of the day,  so it's a dress that needs careful ironing before each wear. 

Good points: This ticks the box for a plain dress, that can be worn in a variety of ways. making use of clothes and shoes I already own.  Not to mention my substantial scarf collection.   I think it has year round potential.  I am pleased I stuck to a plan for once and kept it simple resisting the lure of novelty buttons, piping and trims.  I am also sooooooo happy this dress is no longer hanging up half done.

I am looking a bit shifty now.  Think the attendant's coming over.  Time for a sharp exit.

Finally I have to confess in a sewing geek way, that when I can't get to sleep, I still keep planning possible ways to make version C of this dress in my head, with a fuller contrasting skirt and  puff sleeved top.  I have several possibilities in my stash. Am I the only sewing geek who plans patterns rather than count sheep?

* DISCLAIMER: Please note we do not really throw baby food or any other food at guests here, how ever long they stay.  Honest.