Melissa House comes equipped with some great stitchin’ DNA. Mom Cherri is a teacher and author of Stash’s City Quilts and sis Lizzy designs fabrics to die for for Andover Fabrics. So when we met her at Market last October and she came up with this awesome idea to do sewing pattern reviews, we jumped, high. So come meet Melissa and see if the Peony Colette dress can tempt your sewing machine to bond with your closet. After all, we can’t always just make quilts, can we?
My sister Lizzy introduced me to the Peony Colette dress pattern. Once she showed me this pattern on the Colette website, I was determined to make it for myself. I love the look of this vintage style dress pattern, the different sleeve lengths with each version, and the optional cummerbund. Also this dress has my personal favorite for any dress, pockets. Based on the ease of construction, piecing, and directions in the pattern itself, I give this pattern 4 out of 5 stars.
I love the vintage style of this dress, and I was eager to make it in a double gauze blue polka dot nani iro fabric. The pattern and the double gauze fabric were a great fit. This pattern can also be made in medium weight fabrics, or lightweight fabrics. This dress came together quickly, with focused sewing I finished this dress in under a week. The main components of construction of this dress were simple. The more challenging aspects of this patter to a beginning sewer might be the bust and waist darts, the zipper, the sleeves, and the collar, but they can all be done. The other steps that complete the dress are the hems, the pockets, the gathers in the skirt, and the hook and eye. With just a few challenging steps this pattern is great for most sewing levels. This pattern is perfect for the advanced beginner.
Multiple definitions of sewing concepts are listed and defined throughout the pattern, but not all of them. This pattern assumes some understanding of the sewer that they may or may not have. If the sewer is thorough with their construction and willing to look up certain techniques referred to in the pattern, i.e., the invisible zipper, then they can make a beautiful dress. A novice sewer has the ability to make this pattern, but beware of the assumed understanding of various techniques and steps.
Give this dress a try. I highly recommend this dress to all sewers, as a challenge to a novice sewer, and a perfect project to any other level of sewing. It is most certainly worth the effort. This pattern makes a great retro dress for numerous body types. I made no alterations to the pattern pieces when constructing the dress. But depending on the body type of the sewer, some adjustments may be needed in the spacing and length of the bust and waist darts. I would also consider adjusting the length of the skirt of the dress, or adjusting the sleeve length somewhere between versions A and B. If I were to make this pattern a second time I would make the length of the skirt longer. For me this dress falls about 5 inches above my knees, I would extend the length of the pattern to a little below my knees. Most importantly pin and check and make changes as needed.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow, I love the boat neckline, 3/4 sleeves, AND pockets too! This dress had it all.
This dress is great! What a fun idea to review patterns in this way! Very informative and helpful review – I cant wait to try it myself
Melissa!
So good to “see” you again! Great dress. Miss Bridget is still fine and waiting for you!