The 2011 Christmas frock

As I explained last year with the making of the Christmas Skirt, making something to wear on Christmas Day is a tradition I decided to bring back from the days my mum used to make me a new Christmas, or school break-up free each year.

This year was no different. When I picked up this gorgeous soft cotton drill from Mood Fabrics in New York in late October, I knew it would be a Christmas Dress. It was summery, light and cotton, and if I made it in a Not Sorbetto tea dress style it could look quite classic and wearable.

Question: What does this photo tell you?



Answer: I need to find a red vintage handbag to wear with this dress.

Question: What does this photo tell you?



Answer 1: That it was fortunate I didn't end up with a rose motif over each boob, a la the Jesus arms butt skirt.

Answer 2: That I don't do blond surfer streaks in my hair very well.



To be perfectly honest I'm getting a teensy bit tired of the Not Sorbetto (Simplicity 2938). Not wearing it mind you - just making it. I have quite a few versions of the Not Sorbetto in top and dress form hanging in my closet. It's a brilliant pattern, but enough might soon be enough. So I decided to change the neck details on this dress - instead of the inverted pleat at the centre, and the two knife pleats on the outside, I gathered the neck instead. I like the effect. If the facing actually decided to ever sit where it is supposed to, I would totally LOVE the effect.



I felt this dress needed something at the waist. I toyed with the idea of making a red belt to go with it, but then realised that all it needed was a little red trim.

Besides who needs to be wearing a belt on Christmas Day when your brother has cooked an amazing feast? Belts out a notch, anyone?

Luckily I had the perfect amount of red baby ric-rac in my stash from the Blythe clothes-making days to embellish my dress with. And I discovered that baby ric-rac is quite the little bastard when it comes to attaching it by machine. I tried three times, and ended up with a wonky mess each time. In the end I hand stitched the ric-rac down which took a couple of hours, but the result was worth it.



I did my third ever hand-picked zipper. I love doing these. I actually find them easy to do, and they are so accurate too. Much better than sewing in by machine and I love the look of those tiny little stitches.

I really love this dress and I think it might be my favourite dress of all time. I love the softness and also the density of the fabric. And the print is amazing with its pixellated roses almost looking a little like camo close up. I wore it tonight to dinner with friends and on the walk to the restaurant I felt taller and straighter than I have in a while. It's almost like I feel I have to have a better posture in order to belong in this dress. And that's a really good thing.

I have a wedding in late April to attend in Bowral and I think it might be a contender against the White Flowers dress I made for my brother's wedding. Matched with the red silk/satin wedding stole from my own wedding, I think it could look pretty cool.