Simplicity 2588 - the "Hearts dress"

This is my second Simplicity 2588. My first made just over a year ago when I was still in the UK (that does seem strange now!) I really like this pattern. Like most Simplicity patterns I can use a standard size with little or no adjustments. I can often just cut them out and put it together and Bob's your uncle it's made up! Isn't it good when that happens?

This dress I cut out at the beginning of the month when I was off work for a couple of weeks - laryngitis, so not fit for work, but fit for sitting quietly at home and sewing when I felt up to it! This was start of a kind of stash busting exercise (it didn't work - more of this in another post!)

I'm not completely certain when I bought this fabric! Possibly when I first got to NZ, but it could be something I bought on a whim in Goldhawk Road about a year ago. It's a poly-cotton methinks. It doesn't seem soft enough to be cotton. It was very well-behaved when I pre-washed it, ie didn't shrink much and didn't crease up impossibly. It was an absolutely dream to sew and really went together so easily. The fabric did have enough cotton content to allow me to press down some seams with my finger. You know sometimes you just want to press it quickly to see how it holds and this was great. It made putting in the pleats for the skirt really simple and quick.

I made two adjustments. The first was to add my normal inch to the bottom of the bodice. The second was to add three inches to the skirt length! Last time I made this the skirt had such a small hem on it and I wanted it deeper. It's also meant the skirt is a wee bit longer than the first dress which was also what I wanted. I reckon the Simplicity models must be shorter than me, as a lot of their skirts are short. At least lengthening the bodice and skirt is relatively simple! :-)

There's not really much more to say, except I was quite happily sewing away and realised I'd not stitched the darts in the back carefully - they were different lengths - doh! Muggins had to extend the length of one!

I really should be more careful and less slapdash! :-)

Anyway, the final dress, worn first time yesterday to meet up with the Crazy Gypsy who was in town. We had a really good time drooling over loads of rolls of fabric in Global Fabrics followed by lunch. A good day and I was so impressed with the red top Juliet had made herself. I also got to meet the famous Mama G - what she doesn't know about pattern grading and tracing just isn't worth knowing!

 

 I really hate photos of the back of me - not my best side :-)

The last time I made this, I stitched around the yoke at the neck, but decided to leave it this time. I think it looks cleaner with the busy fabric pattern. The pattern also instructs you to stitch down the centre pleats the full skirt length. I prefer the softer pleat look and so left this. I also made the flat sleeves instead of the pleated sleeves. The Project Runway patterns give so much choice - they're great!