Ah time, you keep on running away from me.  At the moment I am continually torn between slower, more complicated sewing (and crochet) projects and those that can be completed relatively quickly.  The Figgy’s Ethereal Dress fits into the relatively quickly category.

Figgy’s recently released a group of patterns that are very straightforward to make and fit right into current fashion trends. Fitting into current fashion trends is becoming more important as Clare enters the tween stage, especially because she is so small in size but doesn’t want to be mistaken for (or treated like) a much younger child.  I liked these patterns – as did Clare – because they are similar to those being worn by other tweens and teens but are still in small enough sizes and the appropriate shape to fit her.

Actually, the largest size in this pattern collection is size 8/9. So that’s what I made for my petite eleven year old daughter. She chose the knee length, sleeveless version of this dress – it can be shortened to a top or tunic, or made calf-length, and can have sleeves. What makes it special is the flounce on the front, which is an overlay that becomes part of the front neckline and one armhole. I finished the edge of the flounce with the rolled hem setting on my overlocker.

The fabric is a printed rayon from Spotlight (current range – they have some Denyse Schmidt County Fair printed rayon that also leaped into my stash) that was quite pleasant to sew and easy to handle. It’s a medium weight rayon, and drapes nicely in this dress. The button is a vintage one from my stash. The bodice of the sleeveless dress is fully lined, so it was straightforward to make in terms of edge finishes. The skirt is not overly gathered; rather it is just enough for some fullness without become too little-girly.

But now to the criticism of the Figgy’s Heavenly collection. The patterns are in pdf format. But for the Ethereal dress the pattern pdf is FIFTY-THREE PAGES!!! The first thirty-eight are all instructions, and the actual pattern pieces are on pages thirty-nine to fifty-three. Don’t print the entire pdf – only print the pattern pieces. You really need to just read the instructions on a screen. Although it is nice to provide so much information and loads of accompanying colour photos for new sewists, I really wish that there had been a one or two page precis of the instructions as an alternative for printing. But other than that – it’s a lovely frock, and I’ll be making more for Clare from this collection.  (I say for Clare because Stella doesn’t need ANY new clothes – she has everything her sister has grown out of as well as her own things).

Edited to add: I just realised that today is my seventh bloggiversary!  See, time does run away with me.  There have been many changes in the world of blogs over those years.  I think that the rise of Instagram, Twitter, and other social media have been detrimental to the world of sewing blogs, but I still enjoy having this record of “what I have made” and the opportunity to share this part of my life with others who are interested.  Thanks for being there over the last seven years, which has seen 1,597 blog posts and over 12,000 comments!