Like many others, I have finally sewn up a Lisette Portfolio dress, aka Simplicity 2245.

This is the dress version – there is also a top and a tunic – made from soft denim. You’ve already seen this denim plenty of times – I used it in these dresses and this bag. And I still have some left! Not bad for an op-shop purchase of around $10. The orange sleeve bands and neck trim come from Ikea. Because it’s fairly heavy weight, I didn’t interface any of it.

I rather like the buttoned opening on the back, even though it’s not really necessary. This goes over my head fine without the buttons being undone.

But I think that my favourite part of this dress is the way that the front princess seams extend into pockets! Just adorable and so practical!

This is in size 12, without any alterations other than taking a two inch hem and accidentally cutting the sleeve bands narrower than I was meant to. I used the blind hemming stitch on my machine and you can barely see it. I think that it is time to explore the functionality of my machine a little further and use a few more of the specialty stitches and the specialty feet.

I recommend this pattern – it seems to look good on most people, and has lovely details. I’ll possibly even use it again! The pattern also includes a pair of pants, which I haven’t seen made up all that often but are a nice slimline shape. Very versatile and a little unusual.

But there is one problem with this dress – did you wonder about the title of this blog post? When I was sewing this up at Sewjourn, my gorgeous friend Megan exclaimed “oh my, I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but in that fabric your dress really reminds me of a prison smock…”

Just call me Bea.

I’ve seen a few gorgeous capes around lately, on children and adults, and decided that it was time to make one for me.  So may I present New Look 6007!

I made view D, the shorter version with collar and no belt. The fabric is velveteen from Anna Maria Horner’s Innocent Crush range, and it was just divine to work with.  The pattern doesn’t include lining pieces, but it was very easy to add lining so I did.  The lining fabric is voile from Anna Maria Horner’s Loulouthi range.  It worked beautifully as lining, soft and smooth.

I added topstitching down the front and back princess seams, as well as around the collar and cape edges. The front closure is from Darn Cheap Fabrics. I’m going to unpick it and move it so that the edges close together more precisely and it stays done up a little better. My original plan was to make the longer length cape with the belt, but there wasn’t enough fabric for that. As it turns out, at my height the shorter length is probably more in proportion.

This was actually quite quick and easy to make. It’s pretty much all straight seams, plus a collar. There is a back neck facing piece, and the front facings are the same as the front pieces, so to line it you just need to cut side front, side back and centre back pieces from your lining fabric. Easy peasy! I recommend this pattern; the princess seams make it fall quite nicely and it’s comfortable to wear and doesn’t feel as though it’s going to slip off your shoulders.  The collar pieces are nicely drafted to allow for turn of cloth, with the under collar in two pieces cut on the bias.  Lovely touches that give a nice result.

Cam of Curlypops started a “Make it in May” skirt sewalong.

So I made a skirt! And as it turns out, it appears that I channeled both Carmel and Cam with the design of my skirt.

The pattern is Nicole Mallalieu‘s/You Sew, Girl!’s A-line Skirt Pattern. I made the shorter length, and added pockets from Vintage (1975) Simplicity 6778.

Because my shape is rather thick-waisted, I altered the skirt yoke by chopping an inch from the concave side. This gives me more waist/stomach room, while retaining fit through the hips.

I use a size 10 in this pattern, and chopping the inch (or so) from the yoke takes the waist up close to a size 14, but keeps the hips a 10. Such a simple alteration for those of us not blessed with small waists (but blessed with slim hips/butts/thighs).

This is a fairly heavy denim (from Darn Cheap Fabrics) and since it is woven with a yellow thread throughout, I decided to highlight the yellow with topstitching. I used topstitching thread to sew on the lined pockets, and again around the hem. I also used the selvage as a feature between the yoke and the skirt pieces. This was originally intended to be a plain skirt – but I just couldn’t help myself! I used a bright quilting cotton to face the yoke, to line the pockets, and also to face the hemline.

I just have to show off the invisible zip. It’s pretty good! If the selvage fringe was exactly the same depth on both sides, you’d barely notice it.

The inside finish is rather good too. Great instructions for a lovely finish, and you can use this wherever there is a facing with an invisible zip.

I even debated more topstitching along the yoke to secure the facing, but decided that might be overkill in conjunction with the selvage fringe and pocket topstitching. And I probably didn’t need another horizontal line around my stomach. That said, the heavy denim, combined with interfacing on both the exterior pieces and the facing pieces, makes for a skirt that holds in and smooths my abdominal adipose layer quite nicely.

And I love having those pockets!  I’m so glad that I joined in with the sewalong – and there is still time if you want to join in too, May isn’t quite over yet!