Gingham Is My Love Language

Well that and a good floral.

Last year, while I was shopping I saw the prettiest floral fabric that paired really well with a pale pink gingham.  And well, you know the rest of the story. Yep - I bought both fabrics.

I have been wanting to make Simplicity 8551 again, ever since I finished my first one. 

There's really nothing new to say about this pattern.  I did all of my usual things.  EXCEPT this time I tried to add a flirty keyhole in the sleeve.  Do you see it?  Nope, because it was horrible and I actually altered the sleeves to get rid of it! 

As I like to do, I used the pink gingham in 3 places: it's clearly on the neck facing; there's bias around the sleeves to hem them; and the ties.  The pocket facing is also gingham and I added bias to the bottom before adding a 2" hem.

If I make another version - and I still might, the neckline with the grommets is still on my radar, I will make the ties wider. 

Clearly, I took my own photos.  The other day I wore this dress and thought I'd just pull out the new tripod with remote and see if I could get any halfway decent photos.  They aren't too shabby, and practice make better.  Plus - no blog posts without photos. 

The Simplicity Dress

I don't know if you've figured this out yet or not, but Carolyn is a style icon for me.  Especially as her style has evolved at her 'new job,' I find her style really suits me in my role as Innkeeper. 

What you probably don't know is that Carolyn and I are friends in real life.  We chat daily and often, if I'm headed to the craft store for patterns, I'll pick some up for her as well.  Consequently, we have many of the same patterns and she generally sews them up first, but I beat her to the punch with Simplicity 8551.

During the Fall 2018 Sew Camp, I actually bought fabric to make this dress.  The fabric is a lightweight quilting cotton.  Handling it at FabricMart, I thought it had a bit more drape and would become really fluid with washing - I was wrong.  But I still love this dress.

When I originally cut this dress out, I added 5" to the sleeve length.  I ended up taking that out and I wish I hadn't.  The sleeves are just a tad too short for my liking - so I always push them up.  In my way of thinking - long sleeves are kinda like long hair: if you're always going to push them up they might as well be short. 

I had plans to sew this up right away and actually got around to it in November.  I asked for color suggestions for tights to wear with this dress in the winter and bought a pair of dark mustard colored leggings which I wear with it along with my favorite brown knee high boots. 

Other than the facing, there is nothing challenging about this dress.  The facing is interfaced, I did the sew the smooth side of the interfacing to the right side of the facing along the outside edges, then turn and fuse the interfacing into place.  This creates a much nicer edge than if I'd tried to turn it under evening and then just topstitch that edge into place.  Once the interfacing is applied, construct the facing as instructed. 

All in all, I really like this dress and could see more being added to my closet.  It's easy to wear and I feel put together and like myself while I'm making breakfast.  Because it has pockets, I can keep my phone with me while I'm cleaning rooms.  Since I push the sleeves up, they aren't dragging in any food.  So, on a scale of 1 -5; this pattern is a 5.  I'd like to try the view with the grommets in the neck facing - it's a fun look.