12 Dresses Project

Recently, I decided to challenge myself with a new project, 12 Dresses. I am hoping to be able to sew one new dress per month from top to bottom. I want to learn to sew more clothes for myself and felt I needed some type of structure for this project. Sadly, I have several unfinished attempts at sewing projects for myself--a top, yoga jacket, robe, and two pairs of pants--all shamelessly unfinished and some still pinned to their patterns. So, hopefully this new project will inspire me to be more diligent and it will have a beginning and ending--which I seem to do better with. So here is Dress #1 for April. It is a new Butterick pattern that is vintage inspired and retro, but has been updated size wise. It was pretty easy, except for the binding that is continuous and goes all around the dress--I think that would hold any beginner up. Also, I recently learned that the sizing on patterns in true to size and what we buy in the stores is off by 2-3 sizes. So If I am a 6 at the gap, then I would be safe cutting out a 12 to 14. So strange, but this dress is proof. I cut out an 8 and it will not fasten in the middle as it shows on the picture. Other than that, it was really easy and fun to make--now I just need J to take me out to dinner.