Sugar Plum sweetness

Prints, ponte, organza and good old Sunsilky lining. This was my starting point - to test Sugar Plum.

Top fabrics - grey ponte and printed cotton stretch woven. Front fabrics - sunsilky lining and silk organza.

Lolita Patterns
Before my US trip, the girls wanted me to test Sugar Plum. The instructions and tags for each pattern piece were really helpful. The tags come as part of the pattern and these helped me focus on getting this dress done without stressing out about timings or which piece was what.

The girls also kept me in the loop regarding any amendments while the testing group kept testing to the original Sugar Plum deadlines.

Their patterns are multi-size. That's a big tick for me. Multi-size means I can adjust the size as my weight changes and I can sew this dress for any member in my family.

Prints and plains
Mixing fabrics is always a stretch for me but when I did this for this pattern test, it paid off.

I used my overlocker/serger to roll hem the ruffle edges. There were 22 ruffles to roll hem. I'd classify this as a yoga stretch for my skills. The way the ruffles turned out were pretty and feminine.

Busting the stash
The print and organza were from The Fabric Store bought at our February Sydney Sewer meetup. The ponte from Spotlight. No remnants were harmed this time:) I use remnants a lot. And I used my new turner tools that I bought in NY with Kyle.

Dress features that were worth the effort
Front ruffles - I used the rolled hem setting on my overlocker (score)
Neckline ruffle collar - again I used the gather stitch option on the overlocker (happy dance)

Buttonhole loops - the turner tool from NY was worth buying (investment notion).
Using a stretch woven with ponte fabric - comfortable and doesn't crease. Gail agrees that ponte is a good work fabric.
Cute styled lined sleeves - winter turned a bit summer the day I wore it to work.

The zipper at the back worked at dream to help this dress keep its shape over time. 

Lining the bodice - Again a lined blouse feels tailored and comfortable.

The button tab - this stops any peekaboo accidents.

After making practical winter pieces, a bit of pretty sewing was something I craved to do.

This dress is designed to be a professional work dress so I wore it to a presentation. The ladies loved it. I was chuffed. Mission accomplished.

If you're interested in making your version of Sugar Plum, go to Lolita Patterns and take advantage of the discount before 10 October. There are a bunch of great versions Amity has made that you have to see.

I have plans for a 'deep purple' version. Join the sewalong and share your version.