Finished Item - Simplicity 2443

I have a RTW dress that has a cotton knit strapless bodice with patterned woven skirt. I LOVE it and thought if I could have more like it I'd be pretty happy :) Especially after seeing gorgeous batiks and woven prints at the fabric store. When I saw Cynthia Rowley for Simplicity's 2443, I was so excited! Then I found out it was out of print. I was sad :(

I ended up finding it on eBay and was hoping I could cut a 14 and have it fit. 

It worked out well. If it hadn't been knit, a 14 wouldn't have fit. My PR review is below, but the one change I had to make (that I didn't want to make) was making my waistband knit instead of woven.

WHEN I make it again, I'll follow THESE directions for making pleats instead of gathers. 

I like it and can't wait until summer!

Pattern Description: 
Misses' dress sewing pattern with knit bodice and jacket or vest by Cynthia Rowley.

Pattern Sizing:
6-14, I cut a 14.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?

Yes

Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I don't know why you would a) interface or b) use a zipper. If you're doing this in all knit you especially don't need a zipper. I used the knit for my waistband instead of the woven since I wasn't using a zipper.

I might reduce the skirt width or change to pleats because I don't like the gathers that much. I look pregnant from the side view.

I like the simplicity of it and the cute look. It's similar to a (strapless) RTW dress I own.

Fabric Used:
Polyester knit and Polyester woven

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
No interfacing at all.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
It's super cute! It's easy too. There were previous reviews about the complicated-ness of the straps. I didn't think it was complicated at all. What I would suggest, is to wait to sew the front and back tops until you're ready to assemble the whole thing. Otherwise it's way too bulky.

Conclusion: 

CUTE!

A Sewing Filled Weekend!!!

He said, "you can sew". Woohoo!! I could sew all weekend without feeling as if I were abandoning my family :)

Because I don't have too much time most evenings, I've taken a new approach of getting patterns traced and cut out, and getting fabric cut, during the week. Then by the weekend I'm ready to sew.

Friday night I didn't sew. Saturday morning, I woke up around 6 a.m., cursing my neighbors. Our apartment walls are paper thin and I could hear annoying music playing for at least a half hour. Eventually, I realized the music was coming from my son's alarm clock! Oops! (He wasn't at home). I finally got up and worked out, had breakfast etc. By 9:30 I was antsy. My husband was passed out from sinus medicine and my 14 year old was asleep (she'll easily sleep until 11).  I hit S.R. Harris again.

Oy vey!

I am really loving this place. Patterns in hand, I spent $80 and bought enough fabric to make:

*a dress
*a sweatshirt
*casual knit pants (not quite yoga pants but...)
*3 skirts
*pants (ankle length skinny's)
*3 shirts

That's an average of $8 per outfit! Though I did finish a skirt today and with zipper and hook & eyes, it came in at under $5.

Then I remembered Hancock was having their 50% off notions sale. I got lots of goodies: buttons, zippers, thread, bias tape, D-rings (hey, they were cheap!), elastic, hook and eyes, and a new magnetic wand for my pins - all for under $20.


I am LOVING this!

Reviews as separate posts!