As I have been suffering from diverticulitis this week, sewing has mostly been completed in small sessions of time. I had planned to make this Shirtwaister much earlier in the Summer but now with Autumn fast approaching I want to get the dress completed and move onto something else!

• 

The fabric is a 100% cotton printed with ‘fruit’. I am not sure what fruit, but possibly Plums. I bought 4 metres from jjtextiles of Manchester for £21.48 much earlier in the year.

My ‘Polly’ design is the result of wanting something similar to the Penny dress by Sew Over It but with some adaptations. I wanted the yoke, the gathers into the yoke, sleeveless, fully functional button front to an elasticated waist plus 4 panel half-circle skirt with side seam pockets.

Once I had cut out ‘Polly’ there was still a good length remnant that I will probably use for a sleeveless shirt.

There were no complications with the construction – mostly sewn using French seams, including the concealed side seam pockets. The yoke was cut on the bias and the rounded collar and lapels were ‘borrowed’ from the Honeysuckle dress. Top stitching was done with standard Blue thread, stitch length 3.0.

• 

The buttons were from my stash. The double bias binding for the armholes was machined to the right side, flipped to the inside, understitched and then top-stitched in place. For the hem on the skirt, I first overlocked the raw edges before making a narrow double folded hem and top-stitching in place. The bodice/skirt waistline seam has a casing with ¼ inch elastic but most times I believe that I will wear the dress with a belt.

This dress will be an ideal trans-season option when worn with the Old Gold Jenna cropped cardigan that I made back in the Spring before lockdown!

• 

I am hoping to complete one more dress a ‘Summer Swansong’ before I progress to a commission make for my sister and more Autumnal, trans-season projects.

Project #50 completed 29^th August 2020