When you sew your own clothes you are removed from the constraints of fashion and other people’s ideas of what you should wear. Admittedly, it’s not always possible to find exactly the fabric you have in mind or a pattern that’s exactly the right design, but if you keep your eyes open, lovely and inspiring fabrics do crop up, and as you get more experienced, patterns can be adapted. Sometimes, however, you fall in love with a fabric and you find just the right pattern, and you can make an item of clothing that you would simply never find in a high street store.
Currently, the world needs to smile more, and this dress is certainly making me do that at the moment:
The pattern is Indigo from Tilly and the Buttons and the fabric is Jurassic Sea by Lewis and Irene. My only slight criticism of the fabric design is that you can either have the pink plesiosaurs the right way up or the blue ones, but not both… I chose blue although I think this means the ammonites are actually upside down.
The pattern is great, although next time I make it I will move the bust darts as they are a bit low for me (I’ve already marked the pattern accordingly so I don’t forget). There is no zip and no buttons, making it a very straightforward piece of sewing and a garment that, I suspect, is going to be made many times in the future.
The Snail of Happiness 
Wild Daffodil
/ November 8, 2020What wonderful fabric. That dress will be so much fun to wear.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 8, 2020Mostly, it’s going to be worn on dog walks at the moment!
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polesparadise
/ November 8, 2020I really like that, it looks great.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 8, 2020It’s very silly, which was just what I wanted.
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Katie
/ November 8, 2020Jan, that looks really great, I love the fabric
Xxxx
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Laurie Graves
/ November 8, 2020Oh, how I LOVE that fabric and dress. Wish you lived around here so that I could see all your snazzy outfits.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 8, 2020One day, I hope to come and visit you… it’s SO long since we were last in New England and I’d really love to be able to come once again.
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Laurie Graves
/ November 8, 2020It would be lovely to meet you! But for now, we all must stay close to home. Sigh.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 8, 2020I’m sure that, given time, things will be resolved. For now, at least we can travel the world via our blogs 🙂
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Rainbow Junkie
/ November 8, 2020What fun! Just the sort of thing I would enjoy.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 8, 2020I’m really, really happy with it… life’s too short for dull clothes.
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tialys
/ November 8, 2020Love it. It’s very ‘Boden’.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 8, 2020It is rather, possible a bit sillier, though!
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katechiconi
/ November 8, 2020That’s an excellent pattern, versatile enough to use with all kinds of fabric types. And as for that fabulous fabric, I think I’d personally have gone the other way up: Back in the early ’80s I used to work for the Geology Section of the Nature Conservancy Council as was, and one of my bosses specialised in ammonites and trilobites. I couldn’t possible have allowed them to be the wrong way up!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 8, 2020It’s such a straightforward dress to make and I can see all sorts of possible variations I might try in the future.
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DawnGillDesigns
/ November 9, 2020that’s fab. Love that fabric print. Have you discovered Spoonflower? Since I ordered from them, they set up a second base in Germany, so there’s no longer any import duty to pay. The print options are simply awe inspiring. As a result we have a Dr Who / TARDIS swirly blue hall curtain. 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 11, 2020I keep looking at Spoonflower and getting overwhelmed… there are just so many designs.
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DawnGillDesigns
/ November 11, 2020#SorryNotSorry 😉
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Going Batty in Wales
/ November 9, 2020Beautiful!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 11, 2020Thank you
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Nice Piece of Work
/ November 9, 2020Great print and really great dress design, I can’t imagine that not suiting anybody. Happy dog walking!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 11, 2020And the fact that it’s not fitted means it’s easy to make.
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cedar51
/ November 15, 2020how fun…and wearable as well…and I’m sure many other dog walkers will be very jealous!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ November 15, 2020It’s very comfortable too.
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