A Summer Dress from an Old Sheet

Don't faint, this dress is less than 72 hours old and is appearing here! I have been planning a dress like this for over a year but after a failed attempt at bodice fitting last year I gave up for a while.

I bought the burda block patterns this time last year and made up the bodice. According to measurements I had to do a fairly large FBA, but, this made the bodice massive and I couldn't be bothered working out why! Since then I have lost a wee bit of weight so decided to try again. I made the top in the largest size (16?) and after a few tweaks it was almost perfect!

The pattern alterations I did:

• lengthened the bodice by 2 inches
• dropped the bust dart by 1 inch
• moved waist darts towards center by 1 inch
• added bust darts
• lifted shoulder seam by 1 inch
• reduced slope on shoulder

I then scooped out the back and front more to get the look I wanted.

That looks like a lot of adjustments when I write it all down! I made 3 muslins and for number 4 I cut into an old patterned flat sheet that I got for £1.49 from a charity shop. 

I had to line the dress as the sheet was quite thin, but I am so please with how it turned out!

I have absolutely no idea when I will wear the dress, husband thinks I need an invite to a vicar's tea party (!) but I am going to use the pattern to try another dress with a pleated skirt and one with a circle skirt. I have lots of party dress fabric in my stash that my parent's have bought me and finally some of it will get used. If only I went to parties...!