Mama needs a new dress

A few weeks ago at church one of my former young women, now all grown up, had on the cutest dress her mom had sewn for her. Her reply to my compliment was, "You should borrow the pattern from my mom!"

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Burda 7798

Honestly, that was so sweet and generous. Lena didn't care at all if I sewed myself the same dress. She said: "Hey, it'll be a different fabric, they won't be the same." When I talked to her mom, my friend, and I found out it was a Burda pattern I was hesitant to try it. I grew up in an anti Burda home, but my friend assured me that Burda has long since started including seam allowances in their patterns and there was nothing to fear. In fact, she told me, because Burda is European the styles are much more fashionable than the domestic patterns.

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I had this fabric in my 'stash' so all I needed was a $1.67 for a zipper and voila - my new dress. I even had this shell necklace which I didn't realize would 'go' when I first started sewing.

(Ignore the scrunched up neckline from the self-portrait arm, really the neck is perfectly round. The only thing I would change about this pattern is do the neckline not quite so wide. It works, but I'd bring it in a little if I were to sew it again. Oh, and how do you like the soccer sunburn? And do you know how hard it is to take a picture of your chest without taking a picture of your chest?)

I love, love the pleat detail around the neck. As a bonus the facing is just bias tape cut from the same fabric - I don't ever want to do a full facing ever again.

(Reading Anne of Green Gables aloud to Carmen and Chloe - it is the 100th anniversary of this book - get out there and read it!)

Sorry, no standing picture, but seriously! Go make yourself this dress!