It started with some shoes ...

Usually, I decide on an outfit to make first, then spend ages trying to find some shoes to go with.
This time, I had already bought these fabulous nautical-theme platform wedges:

Aren't they gorgeous?!! By the way, I sooo recommend the platform wedge to the shorter amongst us (5 ft 1 in my case!).

Anyhow, had a girls' night out booked and wanted to make myself a dress, so mooched into the fabric shop to see if they had anything suitable and saw this anchor print cotton:

Perfect!

So a dress was made from a Vogue pattern I've had for a while - and luckily I've finally accepted that I generally have to make Vogue patterns a size bigger than the dress size I buy in the shops, to avoid the usual angst when I can't do the dress up when it's finally finished (I know, I know, I should make a toile first etc etc, but how many of us do that EVERY time?!).  The pattern itself is unaltered from the original, although I did add in some red piping and trim on the waist and round the seam on the skirt.

So here's the finished article and very pleased I am with it too!

And, despite risking it without making a toile first, it actually fits really well (phew!).  When I met up with the girlies for our night out, two of them didn't realise I did sewing and at first refused to believe that I'd made it, so I felt doubly-chuffed!

It took me about a week of evenings to make - ok, so no housework got done and the kids barely got fed/bathed, but hey I had a fab dress at the end of it!!

On to my next project .....