Another summer dress - the Leralynn in Linen

Months ago when I made a Leralynn dress I bought some linen to make another. It's such a comfy dress, and has pockets! and a hood!

This week I finally got around to sewing it together. The first take ended up a bit less tailored than I hoped. In fact, it looked like a maternity dress.

Take 1:

I took about 4 inches all around under the bust, an inch from the seam on each side curving from the dart out to the waist, and then back out for the bottom of the pocket. 

I still have work to do on mastering darts, but I like the new version

  

The photo's aren't the best, but you can see the slimmer version and the scoop hem. I hate having a dress too short at the back, but I also don't like it too long at the front or my calves get cut off at the widest part. 

It's a brilliant summer dress in the heat that we have been having lately.

Leralynn

Following on from the Mock up version of my Leralynn I made a version in the fabric I bought specially.

I'm not sure what the fabric is,  it was a mid-weight with at least some polyester, but the pocket and hood lining fabric was satin. Neither of them were easy to work with as neither held a crease easily when pressing. The welt pockets were a bit tricky but many many pins solved the issue.

I put a decorative stitch down the middle on either side of the seam, and around the hood. I used bias trim around the hem and the sleeves.

 
I'm mostly pleased about this, and I love a dress with a hood and pockets. I have a bit of learning to go when it comes to sewing darts well, but luckily with this fabric it's dark enough and heavy enough to mostly pull the fabric down and flatten the wobbly darts.

I wore it to work and I had some lovely comments from my students about it. We've had a bit of a cold snap lately, so it has gone back into the cupboard until Spring comes back for good.

Leralynn Muslin

I decided to have another go at sewing for myself. The first time I tried it was when I was pregnant with Sprog. I didn't have any idea about doing a Full Bust Adjustment, and I need a Full Bust Adjustment. The end result was OK, but only OK and had gaping armholes and a sloppy neckline.

Since I started sewing again I have been hanging out a lot in the MellySews blog archive, and the Blank Slate Patterns Facebook group and I have been learning a lot of theory. It was time to put the theory into practice.

This was my first attempt at a full bust adjustment, so just in case, I didn't use the fabric I bought for the project. Instead I went for the cheap and ugly cotton I had bought at the hospice shop especially for use as practice fabric.

The thing I love about the Leralynn from Blank Slate Patters is the pockets and hood. I am a pockets and hood kinda gal. I carefully cut some bias strips around the laid out pattern for finishing in order to keep as much fabric for future practice as possible.

My first FBA was a success. This particular pattern was a bit short for me. I added length by putting a bias trim hem on rather than a turn up hem, but it is still too short for me to wear as anything other than a beach cover-up. Not to mention the printed pattern is not really the look I am going for. I love the little covered shoulders, as my shoulders are always the first part of me to get burnt. 

Next up: the proper Leralynn, in the intended fabrics.