Tessuti patterns seem to work really well for me.  Generally they’re simple shapes that are fairly timeless and seem to suit a broad range of ages and styles.

Tessuti describe the Coni dress/tunic as follows: relaxed tunic-style dress features a wide neckline, dropped armhole with sleeve bands (optional wide or narrow width), stitched down side seam pockets and side splits. This tunic can be worn on its own or over pants and makes a great beach cover-up. The perfect addition to your summer holiday wardrobe. Note: The Coni Tunic can also be modified into a top. fabrics: linen, linen blends, silk crepe de chine, viscose, rayon, cotton cheesecloth or gauze.

I chose to use an embroidered cotton that I’d picked up at a Restash event.  I wasn’t able to pattern match properly due to fabric restrictions, but did at least ake the effot to centre the dominant embroidered lines.

This is a super simple style, so it’s fast and easy to sew. The pockets are stitched to the front of the dress, but are still entered from the side seams. Make sure that you read the instructions properly and follow them closely for this part!

I can’t remember what size I sewed; I do jump around a little with sizing for Tessuti patterns depending on what parts of me require the most accommodation. You may have already noticed the wide neckline. Although a wide neckline is part of the pattern, this one is TOO wide, and I take complete responsibility. I skipped stabilising the neckline before I bound it – bad move. It’s definitely stretched out during construction. Stabilise those necklines, people! Don’t do what I did!

My first thought was that I needed to add strap keepers so that I could at least secure this to my bra straps in order to keep it on my shoulders. Then the weather turned cool, and I wasn’t wearing it anyway. Recently while doing a wardrobe purge I had an epiphany – I still had some scraps of the fabric; surely I could somehow bring in the neckline and pretend that it was a design feature?

Yes, I could! I cut out two double layered semi-circular pieces of fabric with a fold along one edge, and used that to fill each side of the neckline by topstitchng it in place along the previous stitching lines. It was really helpful to have Ada handy to get the amount of coverage centred and the stripes aligned in a visually balanced way. I just fiddled and pinned until it looked right.

I hope that this dress will now get a lot of wear when the weather warms up again. I don’t like to have to fiddle with my clothes and constantly be pulled necklines into place. Fingers crossed that this is the perfect fix!