Giving up on green?

Sometimes you just have to admit defeat. After a cooling-off period in the back of the wardrobe I took a fresh look at Simplicity 1587, aka the Dress of Extreme Frumpiness. Sadly the dress-improving fairy had not paid a visit in the meantime. I rarely regard something as beyond saving, but in this case . . .

Then we actually had some hot weather, so I decided to wear the Blackbird Dress (New Look 6723). And discovered something which I somehow hadn't noticed last year - namely that the bodice centre front is weirdly wide, so the princess seams are nowhere close to where they should be, and the fit is just generally off.

This left me a) with a lack of green dresses in my wardrobe and b) in need of a simple sewing project. So when I found some mid-weight green and white cotton at 70% off in my local fabric shop, I decided to remake a favourite pattern; New Look 6093. What could possibly go wrong?

Easy!

I made this three (blimey! that long?) years ago in a fine cotton poplin in yellows, browns and greens. I liked the end result so much that I made it again in a blue poplin of a similar weight -  and forgot to blog about it. Both dresses have had a lot of wear since, and the only problem with them is that the neckline is rather lower than I usually wear. So this time I raised it. Only by 1½cm / ⅝", but I'm far more comfortable with the end result.

For now unfortunately that's about the only thing I'm comfortable with. The skirt panels are cut on the bias (see view B of the pattern envelope above), and in the slightly stiffer cotton they just don't hang that well. In fact, the whole dress feels a bit stiff. I'm hopeful that once it has been through the wash a few times it will look better, but at present it's a(nother) one to just wear around the house. Which is a shame, as it goes perfectly with my green shoes and hat.

Slightly sticky-out skirt . . .

The jury is also out on the sleeves. I think that they are slightly too long, but at least that is easily fixed.

. . . and slightly too long sleeves

But I'm beginning to wonder what it is with me and green. That's three dresses with various issues, and the 'Meh' skirt also has green in it. Perhaps I should just never make anything green again!