I am not a pink person, I never have been and I Love this dress.
But this fabric drew me in, also it’s price was crazy good ($3 a metre at a Fabric Warehouse pop up sale) and I had already made a top in the blue version of the fabric. Then I walked past a designer store in wellington and realised my good taste was shared. So I rushed off and made this dress… Ha ha… just kidding. The fabric sat in my cupboard for a year, or so.
In a fit of inspiration I pulled out a simple ‘80s dress pattern with a bloused top and a simple A-line skirt that was not going to compete with the strong patterned fabric and got to work.
I cut it all out – the fabric is a spongy feeling crepe that loves to fray so I had to overlock all my seams and since it was reluctant to be pressed (a.k.a no natural fibres were harmed in the creation of this fabric) I also top stitched down my seams. I put the outer shell together pretty fast not even looking at the instructions and then I put the facing together – again overlocking and top stitching all my seams. Next I had to just put the two together… except I couldn’t.
Because my bodice needed to look like this (warning -highly technical drawings coming up).
And mine looked like this:
I unpicked the top stitching, overlocking and seams on the centre back of the facing.
I unpicked the top stitching, overlocking and seams on the sides of the outer bodice.
AND I cut a centre back seam on the outer bodice (as I had thought I was saving time by cutting it on the fold!)
I promptly had to re-overlock all the cut edges – see comment above about fraying like mad.
Then the bodice went into timeout for 24 hours so we could all get along a bit better.
After this everything came back together nicely I ended up with a comfy dress for work or the weekends.
My youngest boy insisted on being the photographer for this session, so this is as good as it gets.
Flossie FT 
LOVE! And the boy didn’t do too badly with the photos either 😉
Ooooh…pretty! I actually love the pink on you! I have that fabric in the blue colourway too (courtesy of the FW sale, natch), waiting to be made into a shift dress. Good to know it frays – I shall plan accordingly when I (FINALLY) get around to making my shift!
I have the pattern as well, and am pretty sure it’s actually mid-late 2000s, not 1980s. Unless it’s a re-issue, but that doesn’t make sense with the Karen Z label?
I have to ask, who are your shoes by, and where are they from, because I love them and NEED them.
Thanks for the pattern pointers. I just assumed based on the style and length of skirt it was 80 s. Shoes are from number one shoes. They are comfy and my go to flats at the moment.