Inspired by working women, with a dash of the Twenties. The Factory Dress slips over the head, features pockets and ready-rolled up sleeves. The Factory dress skill level is beginners with an ‘easy fit’ so use the bust measurement only for sizing.
I first made the dress in brushed cotton flannel, cosy for those winter months, layering over jeans and long sleeve tops but still very wearable in spring, whilst still a nip in the air.
I wanted a smarter look for under my apron in the shop and have my eye on some Dashwood cotton to make the top version. What if I didn’t like it though? To make a wearable toile (practise piece) I chose a wider, which means using less length of fabric in a more purse friendly cotton. Yes that IS pastel dinosaurs.
Having made the dress version before, I set about cutting out the top version using the pattern pieces I had previously traced off. Taking my time with the front pieces, which I pattern matched. It was all cut out in under an hour.
The top was sewn up in a day. I slowed down taking my time when sandwiching the back, collar and facing pieces together. When it came to the front I did hand tack to ensure that seamless pattern matching.
Overlocked my seams whilst I went along and I was finished in no time. Before finishing the final bottom hem I tried my top on and oh, it was short! So onto plan B, okay I should have re-read instructions and checked original pattern for length of the top version. Anyway, I added a new ‘design feature’ a 3 inch band to the bottom. Thank goodness this was the toile!
And that’s it, a beginner friendly pattern, for a gorgeous dress of top, with no fastenings or complicated steps. After sewing in flannel and a cotton, I’d like to try it in a floatier fabric to see how it hangs too. Marice x