I was so delighted with the wearable toile first version of this pattern that I immediately checked my stash for another length of viscose to make my second version.

This fabric purchased in August 2021 and was listed as Sage Green Watercolour viscose challis on the Rainbow Fabrics website at a cost of £3.56/metre. I thought that it would be ideal to make dresses for both my sister and me. I would start with a dress for me!

I needed to make a few simple adjustments to the bodice pattern:

Lower the side bust darts by ½ inch, Make a 1 inch sway back adjustment, Add 1 inch to the length at centre front of the bodice, grading back to 0 at the side seams.

For the hack version of the dress I added a double thickness gathered self-fabric frill to the sleeve caps. I measured the distance between the back double notches to the front single notch then added half as much again to that length. The frills were folded in half lengthwise, wrong sides together and tapered at each end before gathering and tacking to the sleeve heads.

For the hack of the skirt I cut two panels 40 inches wide x 21 inches length and then 3 x width of fabric (WOF) for the frills each 12 inches For the hack of the skirt I cut two panels 40 inches wide x 21 inches length and then 3 x width of fabric (WOF) for the frills each 12 inches deep.

I set the skirt panels and frill lengths to one side whilst I concentrated on completing the bodice.

I found just 5 pretty Light Sage Green buttons for the front placket which I think are perfect on this print.

I completed the sleeves and tacked them into place. It was then I noticed that the weight of the sleeve head frills were pulling the shoulders out beyond my shoulder point. As I had previously noted that the shoulders were a little wide on my frame, I removed the sleeves and cut away 1 inch at the shoulder point, grading to 0 at the front and back notches. Then I re-set the sleeves and they are much better though still a little wide!

Once again I cut my favourite pocket bag 4 times in the fashion fabric before setting them into the side seams of the top panels of the skirt. I joined the 3 pieces for the frill into a long strip and used my Ruffler/Pleater foot to ‘gather’ up the top edge. I added the frill to the bottom edge of the top panels by starting at the centre back and allowing some ‘free’ frill to be joined when I got around the skirt panels. I then overlocked the bottom edge of the frill and turned up a narrow double folded hem. Now that I had the skirt completed it was very simple to gather the top edge and join to the bodice. The waist seam was then overlocked and the dress was finished!

Conclusion: The weight of the sleeve head frills is too much for the light viscose fabric so I won’t be repeating that hack. I am particularly pleased with how the collar fits on the bodice and I am sure that I will use this part of the pattern again. The drape of the fabric is perfect for the amount of gathers in the skirt and the frills are lovely giving plenty of ‘swish’! Another great dress.

Project #23 completed 12^th April 2022