Practice dress

Since I hadn't sewn anything in years, and since my mom has given me a bunch of fabric and patterns over the years, I figured I should make something for practice.  Thus was born....

Practice Dress

It actually fits, though I discovered I don't really like the sleeve style.  (They're not conducive to raising your arms over your head, so not good for shelving books.)  There's facing in the sleeves and collar, which was something of a pain, since I had to blind-hem stitch the sleeve ones down.  (It was still faster than slip-stitching it by hand.)

I broke a needle (and pin) attaching the sleeves. >.>

The hem is also blind-hem stitched.

The collar facing.  I didn't as neatly edge-finish the facing for this as I did for the sleeves.

It, like the sleeve facings, is understitched.  That was a much easier process than the blind-hem stitching.  I don't have a special foot for it, so the blind-hem stitching I have to line up with the needle by hand.

The facing underneath.  I actually pulled out the iron (since we finally found it) to do the seams properly.

So now I want to test making a dress pattern before I start cutting on the linen and brocade.  I want to try something with a fitted waist and a zipper next.