Jamie Dress

I've recently discovered the pdf pattern world. 

I learned to sew in a cool, upstairs room of my high school with Mrs. Lewis our wonderfully patient home ec teacher.  We all gathered together to giggle, gossip and try to sew sweatshirts as a first project (I made mine this HUGE, gray thing because the style at the time must have been to wear ginormous shirts and see how poofy your hair could get),  and then we were able to pick projects of our own.  Mrs. Lewis carefully taught us what the elusive instructions meant, and if you came to her with tears in your eyes, she would even help unpick your mistakes. 

If you don't have a Mrs. Lewis in your life, learning to sew can be frustrating.  Enter the  pdf designer.  Many pdf designers give tutorial-like instructions and many, many pictures so that a beginning seamstress can follow along and learn new skills.

Not all pdf pattern designers are equal, but I have fallen in love with the designs and expert instructions of Carla Crim, the Scientific Seamstress who also designs patterns for Sis Boom.  You seriously can not go wrong with her patterns.  I have been sewing for at least 25 years and I learn some new construction technique every time I have sewn one of her patterns. 

This dress was supposed to be my Easter dress, but I didn't have time to finish it in time for Easter after working diligently on my girls dresses that week and I had been busy procrastinating the weeks before that.  I decided to sew the Jamie dress for me. 

On thing that makes Carla's patterns so great is that the sizes aren't nested together.  She gives you the pages you need to print for your size.  So while the pattern may have an enormous amount of pages with fantastic instructions, you only need to print the pattern pieces for your size and then just read the instructions right off the screen.  Saves a ton on ink which is one of the downfalls of a pdf pattern.   

  

I bought fabric, thinking I would go with a different length of skirt, but then spontaneously decided to go with the maxi length.  I wasn't able to follow her hemming instructions as I was trying to squeeze as much length out of of the fabric as I could and I kind of wish it was maybe just a touch longer.

I did add one pocket.  The side zip goes down too far to add pockets to both sides, but I love a pocket in a dress so I added it.  I used the pocket pattern piece from another of her patterns, the Angie.  A mom needs a pocket for taking snotty Kleenex or for  hiding the matchbox car all the kids decided to fight over right in the middle of church.

Another change I will most likely make when I made another one for me, is making the skirt a little less full.  That is just personal preference.  My daughter is already begging me for a dress of her own like this and I think the fuller skirt will be perfect for her. 

I'm loving this dress this summer because it is very wearable and easy.