Shannon threw up a challenge for me. To sew up a Laurel Dress by today and blog about it. I can’t turn down that!
I saw her post about planning for her dress, and I was pretty struck by the Laurel Dress by Colette Patterns. It’s a beautiful shift dress with some beautiful shaping darts, cute sleeves, and a invisible zip. Looked like the perfect Easter Dress to me. Plus I love it when you see that perfect pattern and know exactly what fabric you want to use with it. So I picked up some of this lovely linen polka dot fabric at my local quilt shop. It’s really a beautiful fabric and washed up so nicely.
I chose to make View 3 with an underlining. I just used batiste as recommended in the pattern. I’m glad I chose the interlining with this fabric, it really makes it nice and substantial feeling and gives it good body.
I made my own bias tape, which I love doing, it just adds a little something special. This wasn’t a quick sew for me. In fact, I think in total I spent about 6 hours from printing the pattern to the finished dress. I guess I’m used to completing a garment in 2-3 hours, but I am really pleased by the overall look and fit of this dress, it’s so comfy and yet, not boxy! Love that.
I also did a blind hem on my machine, each time I try a blind hem I mess up, rip it out and redo it, one of these days I’ll remember how things go (hopefully!). I love the look of the blind hem though, especially on this type of dress.
Pattern: Laurel by Colette Patterns, available as an instant download or paper pattern
Size: 4, I went off the given measurements, fits perfectly, I made it slightly longer just because I didn’t want to feel like it was too short
Other notes: Finished all seams with serger, bias tape neckline, used an underlining as recommended for shear fabrics
Fabric: Linen polka dot purchased at Olive Juice Quilts
Go check out Shannon’s Laurel Dress here, she looks amazing in it!!!
Don’t forget to enter the Sunday Morning Quilts Giveaway, entries will be closed later tonight, so enter now!
Gorgeous m’dear! You look beautiful and that fabric is just as stunning as you! <3
This is so cute. Love the fabric you chose.
(yes, I’m delurking to comment!)
AHHHHH! SO perfect for that fabric! It’s gorgeous on you!
Looks fantastic, Anna!
Love it! You look beautiful in it.
6 hours seems so fast to me ๐ Looks great, and comfortable – great details on the dress and you look fabulous in it!
It’s beautiful Anna! And so are you!
Ohhh! Nice fabric choice. Love that snow behind you too :0
Beautyful!! The dress, the fabrics, the snow, the sun, you!
Thank you for sharing and keeping me wanting to sew more for myself!
(and excuse my bad english)
greetings from bavaria, where snow is (almost) gone!
Katharina
That’s very pretty. I really like the sleeves.
Super cute! I’m gonna try to give it a go this weekend (hopefully the stars will align ;-).
How lovely! I keep adding adorable dresses to my queue, someday I will get to them.
So gorgeous!!! Love it!!
๐
Really gorgeous, Anna! Love that it’s multiseasonal too. You’ll get a lot of wear out of this one!
look at you all fancy!! looks great. oh and i wish i could sew anything in 6 hours, lol.
Ou, it´s very nice dress!!! Good Luck and much inspiration:-)
Love the fabric you chose, it looks great!
Beautiful dress! You look great in it!
I bought this pattern. Afraid to try it, but it’s on my list of things to do (and wear) once I’m done nursing.
super cute Anna! Love the wintery photo shoot!
Its really beautiful and you look beautiful! It’s the first time I am leaving a comment but I really like the kind of stuff you make and have just bought a patterns to make a bag. Can’t wait to try it!
The linen is lovely and perfect for such a beautiful dress.
You look so pretty!
Wonderful dress.
Greetings Ines
Gorgeous dress Anna! That polka dot linen is amazing, I want some! This pattern looks great, I’m going to have to check it out. You look beautiful ๐
It looks amazing on you!!! And in 6 hours?!? That’s impressive. Nice work, as usual.
Is there anything you can’t do?!?!!
So pretty, Anna! Love the fabric and it looks great on you!:)
cute! cute! I want one- but I bet it would take me waay longer than 6 hours! ๐
nice work, as usual!
You are beautiful as is this top. Very nice job my friend! The polka dot linen is perfection.
Lovely dress. I like it so much.
Oh such a lovely dress on you. You’re so pretty Anna!
What a fab dress, love the fabric you’ve chosen.
gorgeous Anna. You are so beautiful and love the way the light picks up the red tones in your hair. Pretty!
I was on the fence about this pattern until I saw your blog/photos. Wow! So classy and pretty!