Denver in Blue

I love pattern testing!  It forces me to sew on a timeline and use up fabric from my stash, you never really know how it's gonna turn out and often get a chance to use new techniques.  It also forces me to blog, ha!  As a busy summer meant I... never blogged at all.

It's all win-win really.  So I naturally jumped at a chance to test for the Denver Dress, part of the Unbiased Collection out from Pattern Anthology now!  (It's $29.95 for a limited time only too and comes with some nice bonuses!)

I love a knit dress (secret pajama's ya'll!) and this one is definitely comfy!  I'm quickly becoming a fan of princess seams too as they are easily adjusted for my teeny bust.  And it comes with instructions for large and small bust adjustments!

I had this fabulous slightly heavier weight cotton/lycra from Verhees that I picked up from one of my favorite Canadian shops Duncan and Kate and it was perfect!  I think the dress could work in any knit though!

I'm planning a number of tunics for the winter with the pattern now!

Don't forget to check out the collection before the sale ends!

A Double Gauze Bonnell!

You all now I love dresses, so naturally I jump at any chance to test a pattern for something new and fun!   So when Dixie over at Dixie DIY posted about her new dress pattern, the Bonnell, I knew I wanted to join in and she kindly let me!

I had actually just gotten in some delicious Nani Iro Double gauze in from the fabulous Miss Matatabi and was looking for a pattern to use with it, and so BAM, it was a perfect match if I do say so myself!

I'm also secretly (ok not secretly) sewing a mini capsule wardrobe of soft pretty dresses for a trip to Prince Edward County Wine country in July (our first trip over night away from our boys!)  So again, PERFECT.

I had also wanted to get out of my habit of making loose fitting, or knit dresses and attempt to fit a woven bodice again, so this dress gave me a chance!  I didn't do the best job and had to do some post construction adjustments, but I mainly blame that on the fact I have no dress form and it's hard to fit something on yourself with a back closure, oops!  It still worked out, and I'm inspired to actually spend the time next time and do a proper Small Bust Adjustment.  Oh and Dixie has basically done the best thing ever and written up the best tutorial ever on how to do this!  Most tutorials out there are on Full bust adjustments and so I just never felt like figuring it out, and usually just do side seam and bust dart length adjustments, so I'm excited to try her tutorial next time and it get a perfect bodice fit!  

I was super impressed by the direction and pattern too, loved the diagrams and it was all easy to follow! Aside from the bust/bodice adjustments, which were well with the realm of what I would expect to do with any pattern for my measurements, I added my standard 1 inch to the bodice, and 1 to the skirt as well to adjust for my 5'8" frame.

It even has POCKETS, all dresses should have these.

The cutouts are so fun and unexpected!  The double gauze did make it a bit hard to get the crisp corners I would have liked (soo shifty sometimes!)  but it makes it so soft and lovely wear!

And the V in the back is perfect with the neck in the front!  Oh and I totally can put in an invisible zipper without flinching now!  So odd to think they used to freak me out!

All in all, a good kick off to summer dress sewing!  Goodbye snow, hello sun!

The pattern releases TOMORROW May 19!  Go check it out!  And tell me, what kind of dress would be on your winery vacation list?