With sewing machine in hand, and a great deal of misplaced optimism, I am on a roll.

Safe in the knowledge that I did once successfully sew a stuffed animal, and was the teacher's pet in my year 7 Cottage Crafts class (loser..and not as ashamed now as I was then...), I am now the proud owner of a stack of patterns, an even bigger stack of fabric, and am trying not to let my vanity get the best of me when matching my measurements up to the dress-pattern sizing. That shit is just depressing.

In the face of my impending doom new year's resolution, and having spent the last week racking up an enormous debt on my credit card purchasing clothes which, from now on I will not be purchasing, I brought in the new year wearing my first attempt at a dress: Cynthia Rowley for Simplicity 2215.

I did have a slight sizing snafu:  although I cut true to size, and even graded up at the waist (since I am block shaped, rather than normal shaped), the dress was majorly over-sized when sewn, and I ended up taking about 3 inches off the bodice and the waist, which then effed up the way the zip was sewn in.. Lesson learned.

I've also cut a skirt from this pattern, but made it when I hadn't yet sized the dress properly, so also ended up taking about 2 inches out (it's still too big). Lesson learned again. The skirt was easier to re-size on the go though since the zip didn't have to be finangled into a bodice. I also fudged the zip insertion itself because the pattern calls for an invisible zipper and I don't have an invisible zipper foot. Another thing to add to the list....

I'm thinking that this would be a good work skirt in a workish type fabric. I don't usually go sleeveless at work, but the neckline sits very high so it's not like there's much flesh on show (especially when I'm wearing my stupid white "I'm a medical professional" coat over the top). Thoughts please??