Summertime Gingham - Simplicity 8014

Sorry about the frowns- The sun was really high.

Happy Monday!

It's good to be able to work, play, sew and see the light of day.  We have about a month left of summer.  The leaves are already starting to fall from the trees.  It is very humid in the mid-west.  Good thing is the sun is bright and the temps are in the 80's during the day and 60's in the evening. Great weather for my new gingham cotton shirt dress.

This is one of the five projects I cut out to make in August.  With four sewn and one more to go.  I think I did all right for the month of August.  I'd planned to make something, well a few things gingham, since the spring.  This is the first; maybe I can squeeze one more in before the end of summer.

Simplicity 8014 has been on my "to make list" for over a year.  I finally made it!  The dress is relatively easy to sew.  I made view C - A-line dress with yoke, gathering at the bottom of back yoke, breast pockets, front button closure, in-seam pockets, long sleeves with cuffs and tabs.

The pattern is available in sizes 6 to 24.  It's a good basic shirt dress pattern.  I used size 16 with modifications. My finished dress looks very much like view C pictured on the pattern envelope.  In fact, I selected my fabric based on that illustration.

No confusing instructions. Most  of them I followed and some construction I changed.  Overall the was easy to make. The thing I liked most about the pattern is the style options for the shirt dress.  My other likes are:

• tabs on the sleeve - I have the option of rolling up the sleeve and holding them in place on the hottest days.

• yoke with back gathering - This is a nice detail that can be easy changed to a inverted pleat if you like.
• collar stand - I prefer shirt dresses with collar and collar stand.  It just looks nicer.
• pockets - breast pockets or in-seam pockets or both.  Options..,
• cuff and continuous lap.  Nice finishing are always good.

My least favorite thing is the faux front placket.  For this pattern the placket an extension of the front dress, instead of a separate piece.  I like two separate pattern pieces.  It's feels sturdier. 

My fabric is from Fabrics.com.  Last month I ordered about six different colors with various size checks.  It's 100% cotton, the drape stands away from the body; it's on the crisp side before washing.  After washing it is softer though.

I made a several alterations/changes:

• FBA - my usual, which increased the depth of the bust dart.  The pockets covers part of it.
• Lengthen the dress by a few inches.
• Lengthen the sleeves by an inch.
• View C only has a collar stand; I added the collar.

• Doubled the yoke.  I cut two yokes using the extra for self lining the other.  I didn't want any seams showing.  It's nicer this way.
• No belt; I'll use a purchased belt instead.

• I did some matching of the gingham plaid from piece to piece.  For the yoke and the collar stand, I cut them on the bias. I intended to do the same for the cuffs, but forgot to.  On the other areas of the dress I came pretty close to matching the plaids.  Incidentally, I used a white cotton for the in-seam pockets.

• Sleeve - I made a french seam.  It looks nicer than the regular seam.

• No broad shoulder adjustment - But I could use just a little more room
• No swayback adjustment - Because I'm going to wear a belt with the dress.

There are options for other dresses with this pattern.  I like view A with short sleeves.  I will at least make that.  My next review will be a shirt I made for my daughter using view C.

This is a good basic shirt/shirt dress pattern that I believe other sewists will enjoy making.  I certainly did.




Next Review:  Shirt made for my daughter using Simplicity 8014, view C.

Happy Sewing!
C