Sew Gorgeous; good old fashioned fun - sewing workshops and parties

Thursday 6 February 2014

Colette Laurel aka the only shift dress pattern you'll ever need


Pattern Deets:

Colette Laurel

Affections/objections:

Who doesn’t love a shift dress? They are the perfect project – super easy to whip up, flattering in that they hide what needs to be hidden but dressy enough for you to put on quickly and feel a million bucks!
This pattern is really easy and right on trend and it’s a no brainer why its so popular right now!

Modifications:
I wanted to use this gorgeous cotton lace over a colour for a bit of interest (pink of course!) so I used an underlay technique rather than finishing the armholes and neckline with binding. Due to the overlay it was important to keep my seam allowances short so they aren't something that is seen through the cotton lace.
I removed the zip at the back for this particular dress as I didn’t want to try and line up the patterns on the cotton lace overlay, and to ensure I could still get the dress over my head I lowered the back neckline slightly.
Due to the cotton lace I also removed the back darts which made it so easy to sew up! It was probably only 20 minutes on the machine! 

Back view - no zip


Wrap it up!
Everyone should have this pattern in their stash – I’ve made it so many times and each time its so easy to make it look a bit different – length of sleeves, type of fabric, pockets and length of dress all contribute to making this a super versatile pattern. Every time I wear one of my Laurel’s I get so many complimentary comments!

Here is the gorgeous Pam in one of her Laurel creations - just to show you how different this pattern can look!









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