Just another lovely dress: Burda 8/2015 #123

If you follow me on instagram (@kristysewsalot) you'll know that this year I am trying to sew up all the fabrics that I bought in 2019 that are still sitting in my stash. I'm also trying to finish up at 16 of my UFOs for good measure. This mini challenge follows the success of last year's efforts to sew all the fabrics I bought last year - fingers crossed I can do this too!

I'm off to a fairly decent start - of the 23 fabrics I need to sew this year and the 16 UFOs I want to finish I've already sewn 4 pieces and 4 UFOs (just my blogging hasn't kept up). My latest project is fabric no.4 from that pile - a fairly thick cotton duck like fabric in a gorgeous green with a flower print. I bought this from an online fabric store called Daily Like which has since sadly closed down.

My trusty back catalogue of Burda has come through with the perfect pattern - 8/2015 #123 which is a fairly simple dress:

Because my fabric is quite thick and without much drape, my version has turned out far more a-line than the beautiful white version modelled in the pattern photo. The pattern does recommend using wool or wool blend fabrics, which would make the skirt fall more closely to the body than my version.

Despite this, I still really like this. The high waist hits me at my slimmest point, and the pleated skirt means I can have a big lunch and not feel restricted like a normal sheath dress! This was also really easy to fit because I didn't have to grade from a size 34 at the bust to a 38 at the waist to a 42 at the hips - I just cut the skirt in the bigger size and made those waist pleats a little deeper to match the waist size.

The skirt at the back is just plain so it sits flat against the body. Thanks to the width of the skirt at the hemline there was no need for a walking vent, so it was really quick and easy to hem this dress.

Unfortunately I didn't have enough fabric to make those elbow length sleeves with the contrasting bands, which is a pity because I do love that lengthy of sleeve and the sleeve bands to match the neck band would have looked nice. But since this is made from a cotton fabric the cap sleeves work well to make it a summer dress instead. 

The neckband is essential a facing that is sewn to the inside and flipped out instead of the normal way of sewing it to the outside and flipping it in. This is cut from some scrap black cotton sateen and topstitched down.  

Overall I really like this pattern, and I would like to make it again in a wool crepe with elbow length sleeves for a winter dress. I didn't line this dress because I wanted it to be a summer dress and the thick cotton fabric isn't clingy at all, but a wool (or similarly drapey fabric) would require a lining.

I can highly recommend this pattern if you're looking for something quick, simple but just plain lovely. Luckily you can still download this pattern from the Burda Style website if you don't have a hoard of Burda magazines from the last decade or so like I do!