SOI Vintage Shirt Dress

When you have Atelier Brunette fabric you want to make something special. Having never made a shirt dress before I was a bit worried to be jumping straight in but as always I had a deadline, a day at the races, and knew I needed to just get on with it.

It’s described as an intermediate pattern but I like to think that if you can sew and read instructions then you shouldn’t let something like “intermediate” put you off. Yes it has pleats and a collar and button holes and facings but it was a really lovely sew and came together really quickly. I’m a slow sewer but I made it over 5 days with an hourish if sewing a day.

The only alterations I made were my usual FBA, shortened the sleeves as it was way way way too hot for anything longer, plus this way it will be wearable for summer and layering up with a cardigan and tights in the winter. I also needed to split/hinge the sleeve and added in an inch as I couldn’t move my arms. I’ve heard this mentioned quite a lot about Sew Over It patterns but it was a simple adjustment to made so don’t let the horror stories put you off.

I did have to overlap the button placket more than it suggested in the instructions but I think it looks ok as I’ve still managed to centre the buttons, I just need to add a popper on the waist seam as this now sags.

I’ve already cut out my second one so this is a definitely a must have pattern for me.