I was so pleased with the bicycle printed Montana dress that I immediately explored my fabric stash and came across this bright Teal batik-style printed cotton bought last year from Franklins, Salisbury branch.

I cut the bodice and lining the same as before but this time decided to try the 3-tier skirt hack as demonstrated by AlexJudge in her vlog AlexJudgeSews.

I cut the first tier using the skirt pattern but cut at 11 inches deep (including ½ inch seal allowances top and bottom). For the second tier I cut the width of the fabric twice x 12 inches deep. The third tier is 3 widths of fabric x 14 inches deep which includes a hem allowance.

I constructed the bodice and lining the same as the previous make although I did take a wider seam allowance on the neckline which has the effect of lowering the scoop very slightly.

I then then moved on to make ‘in seam’ pockets. As I dislike pockets that flap about inside, I extended the pattern so that it could be stitched into the waist seam. I made one side of the pocket bags in lining and the other in fashion fabric but here is where I made a mistake – oops! When attaching the first tier to the bodice, I applied the back skirt to the front bodice and the front skirt to the back bodice. Thus the pockets although facing to the front, the fabrics are the wrong way around. If one pulls at the side seam, the lining fabric is visible and the fashion fabric which is backing onto the front of the skirt is hidden. 🙁

I attached the second tier to the third tier, hemmed the third tier and then attached to the bottom of the first tier. There is a lot of fabric in the skirt! All that remained was to hand stitch the bodice lining along the inside waist seam.

Despite the mishap with pockets placement, I am particularly pleased with this dress as the colours are my favourite. Now to move onto a different style, the Hannah dress by By Hand London which is a wrap bodice dress in woven fabric.

Project 32 Completed 6^th May 2020