I know a lot of people struggle with buttons but I really love them. I’ve always had good luck with my machine’s ability to stitch them and I have a CRAZY large button collection. (Thanks to Grandma and Great-Aunt for that!) I also love a cut away, racerback style top so when I saw the Trevi Dress pattern by Hey June Handmade, it was an immediate “Yes!”. It’s the perfect silhouette for a versatile summer dress, not too bare but still cool and comfy. Wearing this dress makes me long to be eating brunch at the beach. Or maybe something more adventurous, like island hopping in Greece. 

In sewing as in life, there are successes and disappointments. I had really high hopes for this dress. I spent sooooo much time on it. But ultimately it just doesn’t feel me. And the worst part is I kind of new all along that this silhouette wasn’t exactly me. Lesson 1: Trust your gut. There were many missteps and much time spent with the seam ripper during the making of this dress. I will try to give the pertinent details without all the grumpy, annoyed bits. And maybe I can share a few tips (or rather reminders to myself) for how to avoid these issues in the future.