I Don't Feel Like Dancing ...

I bought this fabric and pattern last summer, then couldn't decide whether to make it or not.  It sat with the rest of my fabric stash for over a year, but I finally decided last weekend to make it up, rather than have the bag of fabric cluttering up the house.

I spent a lot of time carefully getting the piping right on the front panel and making sure the shoulder pleats were even etc, but unfortunately I don't really like the end result (this happens more often than I would like!).

There are two main problems:

1.  Being not as tall as your average person, the front v opening is very low, so I will have to wear a camisole or similar underneath to avoid flashing my bra!  This is what I mean ...

2. The hem is supposed to be a bit like a shirt-waister I suppose:

(front)(back)

but this really doesn't look right on me - it looks as though I've cut the bottom of the dress badly and just decided to hem it and hope noone will notice! Admittedly, I can't deny there have been times in the past when this did happen - most notably a wedding dress I was making for someone which resulted in me having to remake the whole dress (and they don't know to this day that I had to do that!), but I promise not on this occasion!!



So, I was initially quite disappointed, especially as I love the fabric so much.  However, I've hung the dress in my wardrobe while I mull over what to do with it.

Today's idea is: to sort out problem (1), make a "modesty panel" in the same fabric with red piping on it and sew it into the lower part of the V, thus making it not so revealing; to sort out problem (2), cut quite a bit off the bottom and make it a smock top (which, as I live in jeans most of the time when not at work would probably mean I wear it a lot more than if I leave it as a dress).

I'm not going to rush to do this, will leave it for a bit and come back to it .... watch this space!!