Farmer's Wife Dress

Just to show that there are no hard feelings, after my disparaging remarks about wearing cotton prints, I made a dress from quilting cotton. I call it my Farmer's Wife Dress because I think it looks very old-fashioned country. When I've finished here, I think I'll go and feed the chickens.

The fabric is from Makower UK, The Henley Studio. I don't have a name, I call it my green sprig cotton. I got it from Spotlight in Australia. All they had left on the bolt was about 1.5m @ A$7/m, so I took it all. It was 115cm wide and it did shrink a bit on washing. I have nothing left over after the dress.

The pattern was a "freebie" on the front of a magazine, New Look K6144. OK, the pattern was £5.99 with a magazine attached. I like the pleated neckline, the raglan sleeves are an interesting variation and who doesn't like a new dress pattern? I made view D. Next time, I might make the longer sleeve version in navy cotton twill.

I cut out a 12 and raised the waist by 3cm. I lowered the hemline by a corresponding 3cm. I did half a sway back adjustment by scooping out 1.5cm from the back neckline. I needed to do the same to the top shoulder seam, and facing, but only worked this out after I had put it all together, including understiching and tacking the facing down to the seams. Out it came and now the back sits so much better. It is still not perfect, I can see a few fit issues in these photos. I think it could do with a little more ease.

I thought I was very clever, remembering to add side seam pockets. I was really pleased with how nicely they fitted in to the seams. But the skirt is too straight, with too little ease. I couldn't get my hands in there, they were pulling the sides and I needed to let the seams out. They had to go. But I had already notched the seams at the pockets and one of my seam allowances was the selvedge. So I kept the left one and only let out the right. Next time: no pockets, 1cm seam allowance. Raise shoulders by 1.5cm.

I pinched out a lot of fullness at the back, then attached the zip. This is going to be my go-to way of fitting a dress without making a toile. I didn't have enough fabric to do the full back vent. Vents take so much fabric. I cut out the back with the vent on the fold, it gave me about 1cm, then kept it joined as a pleat. There is enough room for movement. If it is too restrictive, I can cut it open and have an unlapped vent.

Pattern changes:
*Raised waist by 3cm
*Lowered hem by corresponding 3cm
*Front dart ends higher than specified
*Cut out 1.5cm from middle of back neckline
*Raised top of shoulders by 1.5cm
*Side seams @ hip: reduced seam allowance to 1cm

Costs:
Fabric: £5.88 (A$10.50)
Pattern: £5.99
Zip: £0.60 (US$1.00)
Total: £12.47

Now, where are those chickens?