TL; DR – I still suck at setting sleeves, tiny rolled hems are HARD.

I had a dress like this from Victoria Beckham for Target, and I’ve always wanted another one. The Allium Dress from Mood Fabrics is a dead ringer (other than having sleeves) for it (although I could have hacked a sleeveless version). I also had this lovely fabric from Nerida Hansen Fabrics, which I thought would be perfect for this pattern.

The dress was DEAD SIMPLE to make, except for the sleeves. Mostly because you had to make a TINY rolled hem on those little ruffles. The instructions were perfect, except it wasn’t (clearly) marked on the pattern which sleeve was which. And so I think I ended up putting them in on the wrong sides – the ruffles go further down the back than the front, which…). I think an experience sewist would know immediately which sleeve is which, but alas, I am not that advanced.

I also had to do a tiny rolled hem on the bottom ruffle. It might have been easier had a chosen a lighter fabric, but then again, that might have meant that it would have been harder to actually sew it given the fabric would keep sliding. So, it just took a lot of ironing (which I try to avoid) and pinning and patience.

I also shortened the sleeves and added an elastic to the bottom for extra poof.

I’m going to make this dress again. I really want to recreate the large flower motif of my original dress, and maybe someday I’ll make the spurge and buy some fabric from Julia Allisson Cost (ISN’T IT ALL GORGEOUS!?!?) and recreate it.