Thanks Go To Carolyn

And Helen and Elizabeth.  Helen and Elizabeth helped with the fitting at the sewing retreat last month. 

This dress kicked my arse.  I'm embarassed to say that I might have thrown a temper tantrum when I had the muslin pin fit and I wasn't sure how to transfter it to my paper pattern.  I was so frustrated (and over tired) that I might have teared up.  But I won!

As I said - this is more fitted than anything I generally wear.  Actually - that's not totally true.  I do wear skirts and fitted tops, but for a dress - this seemed really fitted and I felt like I couldn't breath.

Friday I threw it in the washer and dryer and realized the fabric had never been prewashed before.  Honestly - I wasn't positive it was going to still fit after washing and drying.  I did wear the dress all day.  with the cardigan and the really high brown wedge sandals.
Wow!  Do I have some ugly boy legs going on - full of scratches, scrapes and scars.  Self-tanner here I come!

Last week when I showed you the almost finished dress on Lu, Carolyn emailed me and suggested I add some fold-over braid around the collar to just make it pop.  Well - we have JoAnn's, Hancocks, and Pacific Fabrics in my neck of the woods.  I stopped at Pacific Fabrics on my way home Thursday thinking it would be my best bet.  I could not find any fold-over braid, so I bought this tiny blue ribbon that is almost an exact match to my buttons.  I added to the collar and the front of the dress that folds back on itself.

The ASG gals were very complimentary of the dress - although it appears that the fabric did in fact shrink when I washed it.  Luckily it appears to have only shrunk in length.  The only comment I got from the ASG gals was that the bust dart was too high and that I want to make a muslin of the just the bodice before making it again.

However - I know the women who fit this pattern and there is no way they would have left a bust dart that needed adjusting.  I wore the dress all day - and except for the fact that it's cotton and wrinkles like nobody's business, I wasn't nearly as uncomfortable or self-conscious as I thought I would be.

Verdict?  I like it and will make it again.