Glitter jersey sweatshirt dress

This is the Peppermint Patterns jersey dress pattern which is free at the moment from their website though they do ask if you can give a donation to allow them to keep giving free patterns away. Its the first thing I have tried using Peppermint so interesting in that alone.

This is a brilliant slouchy comfy winter dress.

 

I added the hood from Burdastyle hoody that I made twice before as both a fleece and a sweatshirt. Because the neck is smaller than the hoody neck it wraps further round giving a really nice ( and a bit unexpected I must admit) high neck which is very, very warm and cozy and just what I need right now. 

 

The Peppermint patterns dress has pockets which are optional. The thing about these is they are part of the main dress and cut as one piece not as extra bits you sew in. 

 

This has advantages and disadvantages.

Advantage: It gives a very neat finish to the inside of the garment and makes it really very easy to sew something with pockets if you have never made something with pockets before. In fact I have to say this is quite ingenious.

Disadvantages:

1) It takes a lot more fabric to make this than if the pockets were seperate and added to the side seams as usual.This fabric was expensive so it was not a good idea really to do it this way other than it is a new experience for me, which of course is always a good thing.

 2) The pockets do not want to stay inside. I need to keep my hands in them to get this to look right.

 

I also missed out the hem band round the bottom because I prefer a looser dress. Its meant to have a hem like a sweatshirt. 

However, despite the wasteage making pockets in this way, I am happy I tried this, and it would be easy to change other garments to incorporate these kind of pockets if you do like them. I think its worth trying this type of pocket out if you have not made something like this before. 

I used a french terry, glitter, sweatshirting. Sadly the glitter does not show on the photos and this is really very glittery. My previous glitter sweatshirting has nothing on this one believe me! Its lighter weight than my tracksuit and is a viscose french terry. I like it though and wish I had bought more. But it was expensive. Its from one of the online stores but to be honest I cannot remember which and seem to have lost the email. I bought it back in the spring. 

Maybe a different fabric would make for a better pocket? 

I have no idea, but I do not regret trying this, though the two other dresses I have cut out in the same pattern ( yet to be sewn) I have omitted the pockets simply because of the amount of fabric I have available to use. But then you have a choice of with or without pockets and of course there is really no reason why conventional pockets made from two extra pieces sewn to the side seams could not be used with this pattern if it fits better with the fabric you have available. I just wanted to try this to see how it worked out.

 

This dress is part of my "winter essentials loungewear wardrobe" I have started to sew. Normally I spend all winter thinking of warm clothing I need. That is whilst feeling cold.

 

I usually have the right fabric but I just take so long to actually get it together to trace, and then cut out, and sew, so several weeks ago I decided which patterns I am using and stuck them all together. Then I mass cut out velvet and sweatshirting which I intend to cozy up in this winter. Its all lounge wear type of stuff and because I am sticking with just a few patterns for this, so its a bit unadventurous, but will mean I get to lounge around in style ( hopefully!!!) and stay warm while I can then spend time tracing and making just a few more interesting things without being cold while I do this. 

 

If this works as a plan for making lots of weather appropriate clothing I will do this again each season. Its just an experiment right now. I will update you on how this works later - probably I reckon about another 2-3 weeks to sew all this up. Then I am free for the rest of winter to do what I want and make a small number of interesting projects instead of having to waste my weekends making basic stuff that I actually need, because that parts already been sorted.

 

So this is part of a long term sewing project that will take maybe two or three weeks to complete. So far I cut out 6 pairs of track pants in 3 styles - sewn but without waistbands. Two sweatshirts and 3 dresses - including this one. Also so far I have one pair of leggings and one pair of cycling shorts - because I found my tiger stripe ones very wearable. I think maybe these will just get used for zoom yoga till spring but still will be useful.

I just bought some more glitter sweatshirting from Fabrics for all (but its not as glittery as the stuf this dress is made from), as well to repeat my now pretty well worn grey tracksuit. Have to say its gone up by £20 since the last lot I ordered!  

I have actually almost worn that out though so really must make a new one. One of the best makes I have so far managed I think. I need to get round to cutting that one out next. I just hope the new fabric wears as well bearing in mind the huge price hike. 

Anyway with some luck by next week I can show you a couple more things made from this collection. 

Happy Friday (or Happy Fri-Yay)

Take care

Bracken