Rose dress – Simplicity 8345

I woke to find the sun peeping through a slight gap in the curtains, one Sunday morning recently. Highlighting the dust in the air, as it cut defiantly through the room like a finely-forged sword, intent on bringing shame to the slothenly occupant.

Two thoughts hit me.

First, I really should get round to vacuuming soon. Maybe today. Or perhaps tomorrow, but this was immediately pushed aside by my second, and far more pressing thought. The tantalizing idea that today was one of those wonderful days I could don a summer dress and enjoy the summer warmth.

Oh yes!

Even if only first thing. The weather might turn later.

I’m British. We talk about weather. It’s part of our salutations.

“Hello. Nice to see you. I think it’s going to rain.”
“Hi. Long time, no see. How are you faring in this heat-wave?”
“Morning. Nice day for ducks and slugs again. Heh?“

You get the idea. Our weather is so unpredictable it is almost predicatable. Making it the perfect conversation opener. We respond to each change. Dressing accordingly. Or at least talking about what we should wear. Revelling in how it challenges us. Caught out without an umbrella. No problem. At least it gives us something to talk about.

Back to my summer dress. Today was going to be a dress day. Springing out of bed, because I am a morning person and that’s how us morning people do it, I opened my wardrobe. Work dresses were ignored. All two of them. I pushed my party dresses to one side. A tad too dressy for the day. Leaving me with one item. One empty hanger, gently swaying in the nothingness. Sigh. My new handmade dress was in the wash. I had no dress to wear.

Hmm. One dress was obviously not enough. What was I thinking? I needed to make another dress. After all there was a good chance that the sun would wake me up again, in the same way. If not this year, maybe next. It was time to do one of my favourite things. Dig through my fabric and select a pattern.

Pattern detail

I settled on Simplicity 8345. I bought the pattern about 19 years ago and used it once. I think it was the scalloped neckline that sold it to me. The dress is fit and flare. It takes a lot of fabric, which probably explains why I’ve not used it since.

My previous dress was yellow. Just like the one on the packet. I suspect I was heavily influenced by the photo. I too could wear a yellow dress and laugh, like the happy person in the picture. She looks like she’s having fun. Me too! Me too! Equally, I may also have been persuaded by the “easy to sew” wording. Turns out they weren’t exaggerating. It is a straightforward pattern.

Apart from the scallop neckline, which I love, the sleeves are worth a mention. They are fully faced, giving them a no-nonsense feel. No easing to fit the sleeve either. The pattern suggests shoulder pads, but I’m still undecided. Did shoulder pads make it out of the 90s?

The zip is fitted by machine basting/tacking the opening first, sewing the zip in place and then removing the basting/tacking. It makes a very neat zip, with no gaping holes, showing the zip teeth. I did sew it the other way up than they suggested, as I wanted the sewing lines from the outside to look good. After all that is the part people will see. From the back.

(Pup was determined to join in.)

This pattern is no longer in print. The 8345 number is now a different style of dress. More laughing ladies on the front, having fun. After a quick search, I can see the older version does get listed on the second hand sites.

(Freshly painted leaves and bench. Leaves unintentionally blue!)

Fabric detail

I had a Liberty Rose fabric in my stash. So beautiful to work with. A cotton poplin. I bought the fabric a few years ago from Minerva Crafts. I don’t think they stock it anymore.

There was not quite enough fabric, but I’m learning to excel at adapting the pattern to fit the available length. For all my adapting, this time, there was no way I had enough for pattern matching. Saving grace, this pattern is busy enough, that roses, cut in half, were not going to stand out.

Finally. One finished dress. Ready to hang in my wardrobe. Ready for one of those wonderful, summer days.  I’ve been invited to a wedding. Not sure if I’ll wear this to it, or is it too loud for a wedding?

I am on a roll. I finished another dress, while waiting for a dry day to photograph this one. Fingers crossed, that the weather holds so I can take photos of that one too.

Hopefully next time I reach for a dress, they’ll be just the right one swinging on the hanger.

{stage direction: looks up at sky}

So, how’s the weather in your neck of the woods?