The Assembly Line Hoodie Dress

I originally planned this to be a toile using some fabric that I have had on my shelf for some time but as I got into making it and playing with the small details it elevated to a new favourite dress.

The instructions are clear and easy to follow, I was a little unsure about the method that is used for adding the elastic to the cuffs and hem band but I went with it and found that it worked well.

I added lining to the hood which isn't in the instructions but is easy to do and I divided the central band of the hood to add stripes in a fabric that matched my topstitching.  If you would like to see photos of the finer details then check out my Instagram @jennylovestosew

I am so pleased with how this turned out, it will be perfect for camping, walking and day to day wear.

The Hoodie Dress is a great everyday dress - whether you're pottering around the house, for going for a walk or catching up with friends for a coffee. It has large pockets, and a snug hood and we love it!

We have gone more in to it and things that we would change on the blog.

THE MAKE 

,I wanted an ‘easy to get into’ raincoat : coverup that I could put on late at night or during the rain when I needed to talk the dog our for a wee!
,The TAL hoodie dress fit the bill when made up in Merchant and Mills dry oil skin.  merchant and Mills dry oil skin is easy to sew (a bit like a drill) and while it gets wet, the water doesn’t come through.   Perfect.

PATTERN HACKS (quite a few)

,see @supalunasews for more deets
,lengthened, maybe 20 cm
,custom 3 pleat sleeve
,changed to princess seams
,pocket style changed
,hood altered to sit lower under my chin
,Had to take some back length out (standard adjustment for me)

What I loved:

- the pattern is easy to hack and goes together well

- instructions and visuals are clear

- clean design lines.

- the design was perfect for me to hack into a raincoat dress by simply changing the fabric to dry oil skin (that was surprisingly easy to sew)

What I didn’t like quite so much:

- the method for applying the elastic cuffs and hem seemed pretty awkward and wasn’t much fun.  I gave up on that method and made a casing, stretched out the elastic when sewing and joined using a French style seam.

this was incredibly fun to make.

I love this pattern sooooooo much I made 2 in quick succession and I have plans to make a third without the hood for the summer. I was a little bit worried that the size would be too small across my shoulders but it was perfect. This has to be the comfiest dress I have ever made, it's almost like wearing secret PJ's.
My first version was made in mid-weight denim and the fabric holds the shape really well. My second version was a navy baby cord. much softer and very easy to snuggle up in.
The pattern comes in single sizes. I chose the small which is why I was a little nervous about the fit in most patterns I would opt for the medium but the small was perfect. The pattern comes printed on thick paper and with a separate instruction booklet which makes the construction super easy. On the whole, this is a very easy make and suitable for a beginner. The only part that is tricky is the elasticated cuffs at the wrist, and that's because they are quite narrow. I
I made a couple of minor changes. Firstly I didn't use the cuff or hem band as I didn't like the effect. At the wrist, I sewed a simple band and gathered the sleeve to fit. The second change was to add an elastic cord at the hem. As I hadn't added the hem band I used a couple of eyelets, turned a 1cm hem to make a casing and threaded the cord through. Same effect as the original design but without the wide elastic.
more details on my blog: https://ragbagsandgladrags.blogspot.com/2018/11/hibernation-dress.html