Sewn: S3098 Chevron Button Front Dress

I truly feel like I have been on an adventure making this dress: there has been some excitement, trepidation and absolute horrors, but ultimately it did come good. I started this back in October for my youngest son's graduation in November but didn't complete it on time. I finished it in December but there were issues and have finally rectified it in March!

Simplicity S3098 is described as a button front shirt dress with options to create a chevron effect on the bodice. It has a very gathered skirt with generous in seam pockets. I made View C with some moderations to the sleeve and length.

Clearly, at 5 foot 2, this was going to swamp me, so I carefully reduced the length of each of the skirt bands accordingly. I always thought I had quite a long body, but that was ultimately the issue with the first iteration of the dress - too long in the body.

The fabric I chose was quite a heavyweight one and I can't even remember now where I bought it from. It frays and catches quite easily.

Indiana Jones vibes

With the bodice pieces, I first opted to try and match the stripes but this became quite difficult. However, they look fine and I absolutely love the chevron effect. When the bodice was finished, I had an horrific realisation that what I had created myself was the waistcoat that the little monkey in Indiana Jones wears!

I wish I could say that all my buttonholes were this neat!

The button placket was all working fine until reaching the skirt and then it went completely awry. I must have misunderstood something in the instructions because it didn't look at all right. 

First iteration: waist is far too low

By the point at which I added the balloon sleeves, I was drowning in fabric and they had to go. So, I literally chopped them at the point I wanted them and hemmed them. At this point, the graduation had been and gone!

There was just way too much fabric in these sleeves - they had to go!

The dress was finished, but the waistband just was sitting far too low - probably not helped by the sheer amount of fabric in the skirt. I took a brave decision to cut the bodice at the waist, reduce the length a little and reattach it. 

It was probably a little crazy but I knew I wouldn't wear it if it wasn't quite right. It did result in a bit of a fudge but I bought myself a lovely wide belt from Vinted to wear with it, and no-one would be any the wiser!

I wore this to my stepbrother's funeral who very sadly died recently. The remit was "wear your coolest clothes"!

Love Mrs Jones x