Blue Tea House Dress

I have been remiss this year in joining in the challenges, but how could I miss the Birthday Bash?  So I’ll join the party by showing you my new Tea House Dress, from Sew House Seven.  The fabric was purchased from a local hospice charity shop, 3m for £7.50! It was marked in the selvedge as Made in England, worsted wool. The ground is blue, with black, making teeny tiny houndstooths. They’re set within a brighter blue windowpane check. It’s a good weight suiting fabric, and soft. I threw it into the washing machine when I got it home from the charity shop on a woollen cycle with Ecover liquid. Washing hasn’t changed the texture or finish of the fabric at all, which is great as this will be worn a lot so will need to get used to being in the washing machine!

There are two dress lengths and a top.  I decided to make the shorter version of the dress, planning to wear it through the cooler weather with leggings or tights, booots/trainers and a long sleeved tee or even a thin jumper underneath. I also decided to do a slight pattern alteration. I lengthened the bodice along the lenthen/shorten lines by 2cm. I felt that I needed more depth over the bust, that the ties could easily be 2cm lower down and still work to give the illusion of a waist!

I tried to make sure all the holizontal lines would line up around the body, and this worked a treat on the skirt and pocket pieces! Not so good on the bodice… This is because I totally forgot about stripe placement when pinning and sewing the princess seams… It wouldn’t be that obvious if they were the same on each side, but I decided I could live with it. Everything else worked a treat, so this would do. I overlocked all the raw edges before sewing because this stuff frayed quite badly. I was really pleased with the stripes on the pockets though. Using the alternative grain marked on the pieces, I made sure the stripes would be aligned and it worked! I haven’t got a photo where I haven’t got my hand stuffed in the pocket where you could see, but both vertical and horizontal stripes line up! Brilliant!

I LOVE IT! I really do, I recon it will be a good alternative to jeans. I can see this getting a lot of use, and now I’m thinking maybe a lightweight denim would be very nice! I haven’t seen many winter weight Tea House Dresses online, has anyone made one?

I’m looking forward to next month’s Indie Pattern Month!