The Ethereal dress by Figgy’s is recommended for use with soft, delicate fabrics.  Cottons, rayons, voiles, gauze, other similar wovens.  You know, fabrics that are a little bit ethereal!  So I made it in a lightweight ponte-style doubleknit.

This is a pattern that I’ve used before, so I was familiar with the shapes of the pattern pieces and was pretty confident that it would work for winter as well. It’s just a straightforward front and back bodice, front flounce overlay, simple straight sleeves and the same A-line pattern piece for the front and back skirt. Oh, let’s not forget the neck facing. Nothing too complicated! I left off the buttoned opening at the centre back, figuring that in a stretch fabric it would pull on over Stella’s head without much trouble. And it does.

The fabric came from Darn Cheap Fabrics, and is currently available both in store and online. I just couldn’t resist those foxes any longer! In fact, I bought two metres, which turned out to be enough to make a dress for both of my daughters. It’s wide fabric.

Because the top of the skirt piece isn’t all that wide and I was using a knit, it eased rather than gathered into the bodice. Still rather effective! I used both the sewing machine and the overlocker for construction, depending on what seams needed to be sewn.

The edge of the flounce was finished with a simple rolled hem done on the overlocker. The skirt and sleeve hems were twin needled in contrasting red thread after securing them with Vliesofix tape. The facing was understitched to keep it from rolling to the right side, and was also stitched down along the shoulder seams and underneath the front flounce. It still looks to have flipped up a little in the photo above, but I didn’t notice that happening while Stella was wearing it at any other stage today.

I sewed size 4/5 in width but size 6/7 length, cutting the skirt off at the knee length option. This was a very straightforward garment to sew, and that flounce combined with the foxes just make it a little more fun than usual! Definitely a success.  I spent some quality time in my sewing room this weekend, also sewing a foxy dress for Clare, doing general tidying up and sorting out, and production line assembly of pairs of pants for me.  And mending – lets not forget the mending!  The sewjo is back – just in time for a very busy period at work.  Oh well!