Today’s finished make is THE fancy dress of the year. I’ve had it planned since the end of last year (it’s even part of my somewhat neglected Make 9 list) and started working on it back in May. All that is to say that it’s a dress made for an important day, my little brother’s wedding which was at the beginning of August. I wanted something that was going to be sophisticated with a fitted silhouette and just a little fancy without being completely formal. I’m really pleased with how the dress turned out. It was a super fun wedding and the perfect dress to wear for the event. Now let’s get to the sewing details!
DIY V-Neck Shirtdress – Darling Ranges sewing pattern by Megan Nielsen
Today I’m really excited to share the Darling Ranges dress as part of the Sew My Style project hosted by Bluebird Fabrics. Sew My Style is a year long project featuring a different pattern every month. I’ve been popping in here and there with my own makes as time permits. I made a point of making time for this dress though because I’ve had the pattern printed out for at least two years. It’s been in my queue for ages but somehow never makes it to the cutting table.
DIY Check Print Alder Shirtdress
This is my third Alder Shirtdress. The first was in 2015 and the second in 2016. So apparently this is a once a year pattern for me! The design of this pattern is so classic that it’s easy to wear year after year and feel like it’s always in style. The pattern is by Grainline Studio and they have a fantastic sewalong to help you through the many steps of making a shirtdress. None of the steps are crazy difficult but they are time consuming. I think that this version is my best stitched one. Practicing techniques really does help you get better at them. If you’re ever a little disappointed with the quality of your stitching the first time you make a garment, remember that the second or third time is bound to be better now that you’ve done some practice.