Saturday, May 10, 2014

Minerva Blogger Network: a floral Emery dress


Pattern: Emery dress by Christine Haynes (purchased via Urban Cut).
Size: 6
Alterations: I made a 1,5cm FBA following this brilliant tutorial; lengthened the sleeves by about 4cm.
Fabric: floral cotton lawn and blue polycotton from Minerva Crafts.

As I mentioned in my last post for the Minerva Blogger Network, I wasn’t really over the moon about my last three kits. I put them together with the intention of trying new materials and going a little out of the box, but as it turns out, when you have a deadline and you can’t dedicate too much time to these projects, experimenting is not the best idea. So while putting together the following three kits, I decided to go back to basics: my favourite fabric, cotton (cotton lawn in particular) and my favourite type of garment, dresses.

So, this month, I am presenting you a rather simple dress, but it’s one I am really happy about. I chose an extremely cute floral cotton lawn, which is perfect for Spring, and decided to add a blue contrast collar.

The pattern is used is once again the Emery dress by Christine Haynes, which you've already seen here and here. This pattern is well drafted, simple to make and has great instructions. And it has pockets, too! :D I cut my usual size 6 with a 1,5cm FBA.

There’s not a lot to say about construction, because, as I mentioned, the instructions are pretty straightforward. I particularly like the way the collar is constructed, because it makes it so much easier to have a perfect match at the centre front. The only change I made is that I didn’t line the bodice, so I finished the neckline with self-made bias tape.

As anticipated, this dress might not be earth-shattering, but it fits perfectly in my wardrobe and I feel happy wearing it, which is a win-win.

Finally, a word on my glasses: they're new and they're courtesy of Ozeal Glasses. The pair I chose is a cat eye shape (my favorite) from designer Human Skull, the model is called Amy Red (unfortunately not available at the moment, a similar pair could be this one).
Anyway, the variety on the site is huge, the customer service was great with me, and the glasses themselves are honestly good quality, especially if you consider the price. I think this site is great if you want a spare pair of glasses or want to try a different frame without spending a lot (they also offer free shipping). Recommended! :D