I completed this dress on 9th April but it has taken until today to get around to taking photographs. On the whole I am pleased with the way the dress has turned out (unlike a.n.other – more of which later!) and I will definitely be taking it to wear on the cruise. As you will see, the dress has no “hanger appeal” and it is only once there is a body inside that you can see its true potential.

The dress has my favourite shawl collar which is shaped to resemble a rever and is one of the easiest collars to construct, you just have to be especially careful when stitching the shaping to ensure an even well-matched rever shaping. I re-drafted the sleeves to incorporate a shaped hem which echoes the shaping on the rever. The skirt is made from 4 near-quarter-circles of fabric and is stitched to the bodice with an elastic insertion at the waist seam. There are useful in-side-seam pockets which are also stitched into the waist seam to stop them from hanging and distorting the side seams which are on the bias.

The wide red belt is elasticated and you can just make out the frill of the can-can petticoat. By the way – check out those fabulous shoes!