A pretty, vintage silhouette.

If you’re a beginner dressmaker looking to sew a simple shirt dress, Penny is a great place to start! Her vintage style and full circle skirt are beautifully feminine and she makes a nice, simple project for a more experienced sewist.

As Penny requires around 3m of yardage and I’ve not made her before, I didn’t want to spend a huge amount on fabric. I found this pretty viscose at Birmingham Rag Market and it was only £2 per metre – perfect! The background is a rich, rusty brown and is peppered with the cutest pastel blue and yellow flowers – ideal for transitioning between seasons!

The instructions were simple and easy enough to follow, but I did find that some notches that were referred to didn’t seem to be marked on the pattern pieces. I also really dislike the way the sleeve hem is created by cutting into the fabric. This started to look like a weak point before I had even finished making the dress, so I reinforced it with some additional stitching. If I make another Penny, I would definitely research a better way of constructing the sleeves.

I made a straight size 10, as I always do in Sew Over It patterns, and the fit is pretty good. Although I’ve never had to adjust for a long torso before, I would add another inch to the Penny bodice in future, as it’s a little short – something I have seen mentioned in a few other reviews.

As well as changing the sleeve construction and adding an inch to the bodice of my next Penny, I would also take the time to add rouleau belt loops at the side seams. I wanted my Penny to be work-appropriate, but I think I’ve been a little too conservative with my top button placement and I would lower this a centimetre or two next time!

I am pleased with my Penny and she’s a very wearable toile, which I can improve on with a few tweaks. I love how the full circle skirt moves when made in a drapey fabric and I like the vintage-feel that the collar and waistline give to the silhouette.