Key West Dress

Front view (with bicycle)

Back view

Front view (with bicycle)

Pattern Info

Pattern info for this project can be found here:
Simplicity 2580 »

Difficulty:

Category: Sewing

Type of item: Clothing

For: Women

Style: Classic, Ethnic, Romantic, Casual

Materials

Stretch knit fabric

What was your inspiration?

We were planning a trip to Key West and I wanted a dress that I could wear to the beach and then later to a restaurant without feeling underdressed.

By the way, I did actually ride the bicycle in this dress after the photo.

What are you most proud of?

I found this fabric for $8 total - the catch? - there was only 1 1/2 yards and it had a big sticker stuck to it. I got the sticker off with some gentle rubbing with vegetable oil. The 1 1/2 yards made cutting the obvious diagonals of this dress very challenging. After some experimentation and a little pattern alteration, I found enough fabric to make this work - woot!

What advice would you give someone starting this project?

I've made this pattern a couple of times now and I think it's a great basic dress (although it's listed as a 'Special Occasion' pattern). I think this cowl top (View D) would be the most universally flattering of the view options.