As the last project took quite a long time to complete, I wanted to make a quick and easy dress in jersey. I had some lovely Viscose/Spandex stretch jersey by John Kaldor bought from Rosenberg & Son at the Festival of Quilts (4 metres x 150 cms @ £10/metre) that I had ‘earmarked’ as an early Autumn project.

Now that I have adjusted the pattern to my exact requirements, the Joni dress is a ‘quick fix’ and so I cut out the pattern late one evening.

I cut the ¾ length sleeves and in acknowledgement that this would be an Autumn/Winter garment, added 2 inches to the length of the skirt.

The following day I spent a pleasant couple of hours at the overlocker and sewing machine. I constructed the dress using my revised method by cutting 2 of the bodice front. I added a neckband to the bodice back before sandwiching between the front bodice and its lining at the shoulder seams.

The sleeves were inserted into the flat bodice before the bodice side seams and the underarm sleeve seams were stitched in one pass. A faux cuff that measures just ½ inch was sewn to make the hem of the sleeves. The skirt panels were added before a final fitting.

With jersey fabrics I always have to allow for the various levels of stretch incorporated into the fabric and this particular one is very stretchy. I had to take in the side seams from just below the armholes grading back to the original seam just below the full hip. In this way I retained the fullness of the skirt. I have left the hem unfinished as the jersey will not fray and at present I do not have a jersey twin needle available.

Whilst I continue to enjoy sewing with jersey and the Joni style in particular I am counting this project as a fail. I find that the neutral tones of the print do not compliment either my colouring or figure. I have hung the dress in the wardrobe whilst I decide on its fate.