Flora / Vincent dress

the Vincent dress (BHL Flora pattern)

Hey! How are YOU? I have finally made a Flora! It's taken me a while, and it made me break my no-more-new-pattern-buying ban when By Hand London announced they were moving to PDF format only. I snapped up a paper copy quick sharp!

This fabric was also an unscheduled lunch break purchase months ago. When I finally came to using it, I couldn't decide between making a Flora or a full-skirted off-the-shoulder dress. You can see I chose Flora, but I do have LOADS of this fabric left, and I'm planning a pair of Colette Clovers or similar cropped trousers with the leftovers! 

The fabric does have 3% stretch, and is a lovely weight. The stretch didn't cause me any bother, I lined it in a non stretch cotton to keep it in check and added interfacing along the invisible zip opening, and all was fine!

I love the silhouette from the back!

My measurements matched up really well with the finished measurements for a size 16, so I went for it with no toile. Silly me!!!! I had to take the side seams in 3/8" on each side, and the fit around the bust and particularly under the bust isn't spot on (yet). I also feel the waistline is wanting to ride up at the front, although I'm not sure if that's just an optical illusion cause of the hi lo hem!! Anyway, I am going to properly work on the fit of this pattern before I make another. I need to go down a size and do an FBA I think. 

HOWEVER my quick fix of taking it in at the side seams saved this dress and I actually really like it.

I've gotta be honest, I wasn't sure whether I'd like the high tank bodice on my body. I thought it might make me look bigger or saggier in the boobs. But I don't think it does. I feel pretty fab in it actually! 

Similarly, wasn't sure of the hi lo hem before I made this, but I bloody love it on the finished dress! Whoop! 

Can you tell I like this dress?

Not much else to note, except I had to shorten the tab straps by quite a bit (this is pretty standard for me). And I really like the slightly unusual bodice construction, it's very neat and tidy. 

In other news, I've had a sewing blog for over a year and a half and I have never done a spinning picture to show off a full skirt. I know. I thought perhaps I'd get my blog taken off of me or something if I continued to defy the rules of full skirt photography so I did me some twirly shots, which was a great idea, mainly because it resulted in gems such as this picture:

The height of glamour. 

I had a laugh taking these and even more of a laugh sifting out the hilarious "oh God, no one's eyes can ever see that" pictures. 

Right, I'm off. I was hoping to make the Made Up Initiative deadline and have a lovely stripey Simplicity 1873 to show you very soon, as per my pledge. I'm still toiling (having learned my lesson!). I'm hoping the dress is going to be a good one, although I've come to terms with the fact that I probably won't get it finished in time for the deadline. It doesn't matter, at least I have supported a fantastic cause, that's what's important. Also in the pipeline (currently just an idea) is a coat! So I've got lots to be getting on with. Plus all my teaching jobs start back this week so I have much less self indulgent Marie time! Better get sewing and planning!

Ta ra xx