My new favourite LBD

What? You can't expect me to be working at Tessuti and not be making up dresses in their gorgeous fabric, now can you?

Project Details

Pattern: Vogue 8511, view B

Fabric: 1.8 metres Japanese Cotton Print from Tessuti Fabrics (141 Flinders Lane, Melbourne), bodice lined with orange rayon lining

Notions: 22" zipper, hook and eye

This would have to easily be my pattern of the year. Hands down, no competition whatsoever. I loved making this dress, and love wearing it even more. It's so comfy, yet so chic! I feel very French whenever I wear it, which is just the most awesome feeling! But what's even more awesome is the amount of compliments I get whenever I wear it. This dress is a hit!

Even better than the dress is the fabric. The cotton (which is selling fast, fast, fast in our Melbourne store) was an absolute dream to work with. In fact, I can't remember the last time I had so much fun making a dress. To save it from becoming a bit too twee, I added my own special touch: I put in an open-ended jacket zipper, to give the dress a slight 'rock' edge, and it definitely makes an impact.

So, it's a big 10 out of 10 from me. The pattern was challenging enough to keep me from being bored, without becoming too much of a stress. The front skirt has some nifty side pleats, with a box pleat in the middle (fun!), and some darts in the back. I love doing darts! It really is a wonderfully versatile pattern - you can easily make a whole range of dresses, ranging from simple and classic to bold and crazy, depending upon fabric choices and skirt length. In fact, my next project will be making use of this pattern again, but let me assure you, the dresses could not be any more different! Watch this space!