Summer dress - McCalls M6027

One of my January aims was to be more ready for summer this year. Usually its seriously hot before I even begin to cater for the weather and I am still finishing my winter makes when its June. So this year I am trying to be more organised.

I bought McCalls M6027 ages ago. More than a year at least. Possibly even two years ago so this is a new to me pattern but I have owned it for ages. Its meant to be made from woven cotton with a centre back zip. This is a stretch knit fabric so I made it with no back zip. Its also meant to be 6 inches longer than my version. I hacked the bottom off the pattern with no mercy in this case. I seriously cannot see me ever wanting the full length version even in 20 years!  When it came to shortening the godet tho I cut into into three width-wase and then rejoined losing 3 inches off each piece to give me the total of 6 inches length reduction but giving me the original full width at the top and bottom. This keeps the flare which I am aiming for.

This is based on a much loved dress which I no longer own. It was an a orange and lime green tie dyed (printed rather than real tie dye) dress like this back in the mid 90s. I loved it so much I wore it to death. I was a poor student then and could not afford the same dress in colours I actually liked. Full price was £25 from the local hippy shop. I bought the orange and green colourway that no one could handle wearing. It was the "acid" revolution. Acid House was the music of the time and that kind of painted on tie dye was the fabric of choice for many people. At £3 it was a bargain basement dress for my student days.  So this is my recreation of that dress. Sadly I cannot currently find a photo of the original but if I do then I will add that to this post later. I think this has worked out to be a fair copy of what I remember of my original dress but in a better colourway.

Of course in summer I will not be wearing a top under this dress but right now its a bit cold for that, and well, you need to be practical about these things don't you?


I remember getting very sunburnt in that dress on holiday in Newquay in Cornwall. So I have great memories of this old dress that I wore till it fell appart. That would be the early 2000s when it finally fell to bits.

Then the other week when I splashed out and bought more fabric I bought this green and turquoise tiger striped cotton. I think it also has lycra in it but the actual fibre is unknown. I am guessing its  lycra cotton by the feel of it. Its a knit T shirt weight. Ideal to recreate my long lost dress desite the pattern being for a woven.

I am not used to using a woven pattern for knits but have read to go down a couple of sizes so I cut a smaller size and started to sew only to realise the pattern tells me I need 7 godets but that would mean two half godet at centre back when in fact I want them all the way round so I actually need 8 not 7 godets. At least thats what I think the pattern says. I got a bit confused but just ignored it and cut it the way I want it. It could be a size smaller next time though I think since despite my taking it in its still a bit too big. Its is worn here with my black lace top  which was made from left over scraps, due to the coldness of the weather here in England right now but come summer I reckon this will be worn lots. Its not perfect and I am now thinking sewing up with black thread could have been a mistake but its done now. I will wear this lots. I am sure of that, though if I do make another I will be making it smaller. I went down 2 sizes anyway due to it being a knit not a woven, but its still a tad big even though I took all the seams in slightly. I could not take any more fabric out without totally remaking which would have probably meant ruining this so its best left as it is. Still mostly it will be worn over either a bikini or Tshirt I would think so it will do. And since I am now thinking of muslin for every new pattern, this is my muslin. The hem got a bit chewed at one spot when the machine decided to eat the fabric which is most unusal since its my Brother sewing machine. I think the cottons got tangled when I was twin needle stitching so I will have to watch that in future. You cannot really tell luckily by the time I resewed over the damaged bit. Its a long way round the hem thoughand I think maybe it wa s abit taxing for my old Brother machine. Normally I only sew small stretched of twin needle stitching. This is actually a  circular skirt with all those godets!
 If you want to read about the black lace top thats here:
http://brackencrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/91-black-lacey-top-from-scraps.html

I just cannot wait till this years Me Made May now so I can try wearing this in various different ways. Roll on summer.  But for now its Easter Sunday and I have lots I need to get done.

Have a lovely Easter

Bracken