Simplicity 1080 Dottie Angel frock..... or as I call it marmite dress

I picked this pattern up  few months ago half price at hobbycraft. I needed more dress patterns as much as I needed a hole in the head, but got taken in by the chunky knit and boot clad girl on the cover, so in my basket it fell.
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 Not long after I saw it mentioned on one of the Facebook sewing groups with almost everyone saying it looked like a sack on them, the for was wrong as in the darts were in the wrong place, the arm holes gaped and the sleeves caused confusion. I promptly put Dottie to the back of the pattern box and forgot her. Then a week ago she sprung up again in a group and some wonderful pictures of the ladies makes made me dig her out and have ago. BUT.... me being me I had to do my own thing. So out comes the knit fabric. Hey why work with the easy well behaved cotton when you can battle with a stretchy misbehaving knit? 

I won't go into full pattern details as I figure if you are here you probably have it. So here's what I did differently

 The contrast pockets and ties in black cotton jersey. I added the band as instructions on the pocket and then overlocked around the edge. I love my overlockers and will use it whenever I can get away with it. Then folded under and topstitched the pockets in place. 

 The ties should be folded in. But jersey is a giant pain anyways and rolls and working on a thin strip would have ended in the whole project being put in the fib (fuck it bucket) so I folded in half and overlocked the open edge then turning blade off I overlocked folded edge too. Personally I like the look of the overlockers stitch so have no problems with that raw look.

 The bust darts/folds. I actually like this way of doing a dart and haven't come across it before. The end of the ties are sewn into them and adds a nice detail. Now advice on the aforementioned Facebook groups told me to check placement for us with blessed boobage areas. So lining up the shoulder I figured mine needed to be an inch or so lower to avoid sitting on bust. I think the knit is a little more forgiving than a cotton would have been on the bust. 

 Now sleeves, they are an all in one cap (I guess) style.  I wanted them to fall a little lower and although I could have extended the pattern and cut out of the fabric....honestly I forgot to do it so ended up drafting an extra bit in jersey and sewing on. Which big head and all I think looks brilliant lol

 So there we go. My take on Dottie Angel 

Maxie x