corduroy, dress, handmade wardrobe, resewlution 2014, sewing, simplicity

Spring dress in baby wale corduroy (Simplicity 2927)

Nicole Markelz

It’s spring!  The doors of my house have been open all day and I’m wearing shorts (these!).  The seasonal distinctions in the Bay Area are minimal, but being from upstate NY, putting away off-season clothing is a hard habit to break.  I just “discovered” my “summer” clothes, and have been raiding the stash this weekend.  I’m fairly desperate for a refreshed wardrobe and I’m fortunate enough to have a job at which I can wear almost anything, from jeans to dresses.  I love that I can pull on a casual dresses whenever I want, and much of my spring wardrobe plans involve new dresses.

This one, an out-of-print Simplicity (2927) has been in my pattern collection for years and this is the first time I’ve made something from it.  The dress is a good shape, with princess seams, 3/4 raglan sleeves (among other options), and pockets.  I made an 8 for bust and waist, grading up to 10 for hips. I took in the sides and back seams about 1/2 in each, so a 6 for bust may have been better.
The fabric is a springy, but is respectful of a chilly morning in baby wale corduroy (purchased at Fabric.com here).  The flowers remind me of California poppies.  Considering it’s corduroy, it’s surprisingly lightweight!
Fun, sixties-inspired contoured neckline and vintage buttons.
Love the 3/4 sleeves, so I don’t have to cover up the dress with a cardigan, and the tulip-ish faced hem makes them a little more interesting.

Here are some inside photos.  The facings are steel gray Bemberg.  I chose not to line the dress (slightly out of character for me!), initially hoping to wear it with this slip, but the slip peeks out of the neckline peephole!  No matter, the lightness is lovely, and I don’t plan to wear the dress with tights.
My three-year old camera helper was a little trigger happy, but this shows the dress in action!
In looking for the pattern online, I came across several other gorgeous versions–love the piping on these versions (Raindrops & Bellyflops and Star’s Threads), both making me feel lazy and/or guilty for not using piping!
Resewlution 2014 garment #2 for March!  

Published by Nicole Markelz

18 thoughts on “Spring dress in baby wale corduroy (Simplicity 2927)”

  6. Haha! Well, I set the camera on a tripod, with a remote shutter button (with 2 second delay). The three year old sits on the bed and presses the button 🙂

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  7. Thank you! I need to find more dresses with 3/4 sleeves–it really makes dresses completely effortless to not even have to find a coordinating cardigan!

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  12. Oh I sooooo love this dress. It's oh so pretty and very spring time, the fabric is amazing and you had me at princess seams and raglan sleeves, my favourites.

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