My Christmas and birthday gifts included the a copy of the Tilly and the Buttons book, but until a week or so ago I hadn’t got round to looking at it much. I knew a Megan dress would be a good starting point, as they feature in my timeline constantly. I’d got two metres of a pretty pink Liberty cotton lawn from the Knitting and Stitching Show in November. I’m not sure what the design is called, but it’s like tiny leaves. Pink isn’t a colour I wear too often but I liked the print and the gorgeous silky smooth feel of the fabric.   The cutting out of the fabric and interfacing was quick and simple. After this stage I then put the make to one side for a couple of days, only returning to it once away from home. As I was already compromising on space, I somehow seemed to opt to merely scan the instructions and then mostly do my own thing. The facings attached neatly, the gathers on the sleeves turned out fine and the hem is as straight as mine ever are, but my resolutions about improved finishes or indeed wish to learn anything as I went along were left by the wayside. Internal seams are not finished in any kind of professional way. The zip doesn’t *quite* line up at the top, plus there’s the obligatory pucker at the bottom – how DO you avoid that? The zipper tape is just exposed inside, although maybe all Megans are like that unless you decide to line the bodice? The fabric was lovely to work with, and aside from hemming the sleeves when for some unknown reason the cotton from the bobbin just kept knotting, the sewing itself was easy.  

 I’ve worn the dress once so far but did not appreciate how the wind ensured the dress followed my silhouette rather too closely, hence the absence of full length pictures.    

Skechers aren’t an ideal match for a girly dress, I realise, but they are practical for dog walks, and they do at least have a touch of pink!  

I know that should I make another, I really need to up my game and decide to take my time to improve the finishes, or experiment with different techniques as suggested by Tilly, or elsewhere. I’ve been enjoying observing my makes gradually becoming a little more complex or at least improving in finish, but feel like I took a couple of steps back with this make. I think need to take the advice I’m watching other people follow, and slow down and enjoy the process of making more. Any tips on what to do differently next time would be gratefully received.