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I just made this gorgeous dress with really beautiful, dramatic balloon sleeves.
In this video, I'll share all the details about the fabric I used, tips I picked up that you can use in your own projects, what I like and don’t like about it, and a bunch of ideas for how I’m planning to wear it throughout spring and summer.
So keep reaching (and watch the video) and then let me know in the comments if you think my dress is très chic or if it looks like an old bedsheet.
My Plans
You might remember this dress I sketched if you watched my spring wardrobe planning video.
This is definitely the dressiest and most dramatic piece in my spring wardrobe, but after a winter of wearing a lot of cozy, practical things, I’m really feeling like I want to bust out the pretty dresses and dress up every day.
This dress fits the bill really well, and it has me excited to make more dresses for summer soon.
The Pattern
I made the Seamwork Sloan dress in a size 6.
I fell in love with this pattern when I saw the initial design sketch. It has a very simple, long, slim sheath shape with a pretty high neckline, but it also has these really big, dramatic balloon sleeves. The way these sleeves are constructed just creates a ton of volume, and you all know I love a fluffy sleeve.
It also has a center front slit, which I think is a really pretty detail with sandals or open-toed shoes, and it also allows more mobility in a long, narrow skirt like this.
I sewed this pattern as-is and used the main version, but there’s also a bonus version for Seamwork members with a pretty mutton sleeve.
The Fabric
Now let's talk about fabric!
I mentioned the fabric in my spring wardrobe planning video. It’s a Robert Kaufman Sevenberry fabric called Petit Rose in natural and blue.
I really loved the soft color palette, the floral motif, and the spacing of the roses on this fabric. I also liked that it is very soft, which is true of all the Sevenberry fabrics I’ve used.
However, as I started sewing, I started to have some reservations about it. I talk more about those and what I liked and didn’t like as I show you the project in the video.
A Little Sewing Accident
So, I had a little accident while gathering on the sleeves. I was reaching for the bobbin thread to pull it out, and somehow the needle came down and jabbed me under my fingernail. I YELPED.
So be careful when putting your hands near your needle and keep your foot away from the pedal while you do!
Other than that, I really enjoyed sewing these sleeves. I’ve never sewn a bubble hem on a sleeve before, and it was really fun to watch all the gathering come together to create that voluminous bubble effect.
If you want to see more details about my sewing (and get a few tips) be sure to watch the video.
Overall, I absolutely love the shape of this dress. Even though I’m a little iffy about the fabric choice, I still think the end result looks great and feels very me.
I’d also love to make this dress again in white linen or crisp black cotton. Both would be so simple and beautiful.
Have you ever sewn something you loved, but in a fabric that ended up not quite working the way you hoped?
Share yours in the comments with all of us. And let me know: Does this dress look too much like an old bedsheet, or is it just me?
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