This is yet another awesome free pattern, this time from Deby at So So Easy, and it’s called the Brief Encounters dress and it’s supposed to look like this
It is a skater dress with a close fitting bodice and a full circle skirt. Adorable non? As soon as I saw it I knew I had to make it and what’s more I had the perfect fabric – a wide blue and white stripe. However, can you see how mine is different?
I bought this fabric in Textile Traders and found an extra piece in the remnant bin, so I had quite enough – or so I thought. I cut the bodice from the remnant and then put the skirt pattern on the longer length, but, gasp, I didn’t have enough! I fiddled around thinking about making the skirt a disappointing A-line, colour blocking it with some gores, or abandoning it completely (no, just kidding). I took it to my pattern making class thinking that I could rework the skirt somehow and Sarah suggested that I fold the fabric differently, shorten the skirt by 14cm and then add a band. I wish I’d thought of this.
This is how it came out. I am beyond thrilled.
After I had stitched the bodice to the skirt I remembered that we had decided that I would have the skirt seams as centre front and back seams instead of at the sides. I (briefly) considered pulling it apart, but decided that I could live with it.
My favourite thing about this dress apart from the stripes? Why the twirl of course!
Not a lot else to say about this pattern, except that it is wonderful. Next time I will shorten the bodice. I would have done it on this dress except that I wanted the blue stripe on my waist. I went into a deep funk about the fact that it was impossible to match the stripes on the sleeves, but my care factor now is around zero (actually, that’s not true at all, but I am pretending!)
I cover stitched all the edges, matching the threads to the stripes. I even changed the colour of the thread at the neckline as I didn’t want blue stitching on the white. Dodgy photo but you can see what I mean.
Bottom line on this one? I love it, I can’t wait to make another one, and I know I will wear it constantly this summer. Even better is that Mark is totally raving about it.
