Without a doubt, this dress is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever made. The print is so lush and romantic! I love the way it holds the details of the Tamzin dress. It’s so floaty and the sheerness really makes the pintucks stand out.

This dress might also be my biggest disappointment. See the lesson here kids, is don't start a project when you’re sick. Somehow, in my excitement to get sewing again after a long cold, I picked the wrong size and messed up the cutting layout. I managed to make the dress big enough to put on for photos, but can’t wear it for daily activities without hulking out the back princess seams. Luckily my mom’s measurements are just right, so I’m sending it her way.

Still, even if I can’t wear it, it’s the most beautiful piece I’ve made to date. That is largely due to the fabric. I love this print so much! I don’t usually gravitate toward large scale prints like this, but this one is so easy to wear thanks to the muted greens and pinks and the soft watercolor effect.

It’s also super soft. It feels really nice on the skin. It’s also really slippery, so I’d recommend starching and a lot of patience for cutting out and pressing. I also think this fabric would do best either underlined for strength or made up into a very loose fitting garment as the fibres tried to pull apart with just the tiniest amount of stress on the seams.

As for the pattern, I loved the By Hand London Tamzin dress since it came out. I love a square neckline and princess seams, but what really sets this pattern apart are the pintucks. Somehow I messed up the cutting layout and didn’t have enough yardage to do the pintucks in the skirt and keep it midi length. (Again, don’t try to cut out a new project when you’re sick!) After I cut it out I returned to the pattern instructions and saw that I cut the wrong size! But, I was determined to make it work, so I adjusted the seam allowances and called my mom. Turns out her measurements were perfect and it’s on her way to her now.

Aside from the whole sizing mishap, the pattern was a really fun sew. I always like sewing princess seams and gathered skirts, but I was nervous about constructing the external neckline facing. It was a breeze! And the pintucks were so satisfying to sew. I can’t wait to make another one!

Pattern: By Hand London Tamzin Dress
Size Range: 2-34 (35-63" hip)
Size: 18 (D cup range)
Fabric & Notions: 3.5 Meters Lady McElroy Lena Crepe
Design Modifications: Shortened skirt 30cm, left off skirt pintucks
Fit Alterations: Changed all seam allowances to 1cm
Difficulty: Intermediate

While, I’m sad that my dress doesn’t work for me, I’m still really proud of my beautiful make and all the lessons I learned along the way. Thanks for reading and happy sewing!

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