I have wanted to make this pattern for a long time. It is on my list of 2018 sewing goals. About 6 months ago I bought a few inexpensive "shirt" fabrics. I decided to use one and sew this up.

So, it seems like it should be good, right? It looks like it fits very nicely. Unfortunately, there are 3 issues with this make. First, the fabric is heavier than I imagined. Plus it has some lycra in it. That was not so bad in one respect as it saved me from putting in a zipper. Which maybe I should have done one anyway, but I didn't have one and I was in the sewing zone and didn't want to get distracted. But the feel of the fabric with the weight and the lycra is too heavy. Something about the gathering of the shoulders is uncomfortable. I am very touchy I guess. The other thing is that don't you think I'm a little too old for this dress? That is how I feel. 

Here is the final thing. I did not choose the hunchback view, but somehow I sewed it:

I did solve the problem by opening up the neckline, taking in the sides of the center seam 2 inches at the neck and tapering down to nothing an inch or so above the waist, and then sewing the neckline back up. It looks better now...but the other two problems aren't going away. I will try this dress again in a more drapey, lightweight fabric and see if it helps. 

I needed a cover-up for a wedding I was attending in Seattle. My nephew was getting married in an outdoor setting (which turned out to be beautiful) and then holding the reception in a restaurant on the water (also beautiful). But they couple said "cocktail attire," which is not a concept I have any experience with. Googling around the Internets and asking a coworker led me to the conclusion that a sleeveless stretch lace cotton dress I already owned would work just fine, but I needed shoes and a cover-up to go along since the reception would be indoors and thus air-conditioned and cold, which I could not handle. I found some silver low-heeled sandals online, perfect for the occasion although surely never to be worn again, so I bought them (oops, but did not model them in the picture below). 

Now I had to figure out the cover-up. Surely, I could just make some simple jacket in a nice sequined fabric. I wanted purple, but could find only black at Joann's. So I bought it and went in search of a pattern. I searched my stash...nothing quite right. I bought a new pattern--I'm not sure it was even on sale, which hurts--thinking it might work. Butterick 5529:

I knew it was a risky bet. It could look okay or it could look hideous. I searched to see who else had made it. The examples weren't too bad but nothing quite like what I had in mind. But then I saw this version:  

I see the bottom hem is a mess. Oh well. This will probably join the silver sandals as a one-time wear. If I do have occasion to wear it again, I will revisit the hem.