On my birthday, a few weeks ago, I bought some fancy schmancy fabric from Liberty. My intention was to make a dress using Sewaholic’s Lonsdale pattern, but before I cut into the most expensive fabric I have ever bought, I thought I should do it properly and make a practice dress first so I could check sizing.

But if I was going to go to the effort of making such a dress, I wanted even my practice dress to be wearable, so I bought this super cute fabric:

Much less expensive, so I didn’t matter quite so much if I messed it up, but still cute enough to be dress-worthy!

I did this thing properly, I traced my pattern, using the size 4 lines around the bust, graduating out to size 6 around the waist and hips. I also transferred by dots from the pattern to the fabric using tailor’s tacks! Get me!

Mr Linux supervised the process:

Then, as I worked late last night, I had this afternoon off…. I finished it off, sewing the hem by hand, using catchstitch so that the stitches were….well more invisible than usual:

Done!

As you might see, I think it needs a little shortening in the bodice, (or I need to slouch less) but I like it!

Is it just me or does it give you the urge to sing “Bicycle Race” by Queen? I think I need to put a basket on the front of my bike and take it out for a nice lady ride!