Butterfly Flutterby dress xXx

For the first official Hugs and Kisses Blog Post for 2013 how could I post anything than a girly, stylish and vintage inspired handmade creation!

This year is going to be fantastic I can just feel it!

Now before I say anything else, here is a quick reminder that Hugs and Kisses is currently hosting a Pattern Pyramid competition and it is only open until midnight on Friday! Please feel free to pop over, there are some great vintage patterns up for grabs and the opportunity to host your own pattern pyramid! It is a great idea and I am really keen to carry on this new tradition.

Okay, back to the dress.

I will hold my hands up – the dress itself has nothing to do with butterfly’s. However, the purple lining and purple piping on the waste band inspired me to take the opportunity to utilise the butterfly theme home decor on my stairway. They are just stickers I bought on Ebay but they are SO cute!

The lining of this dress is a purple cotton sourced from a bed sheet and the colour peaks through the pattern of the black stretch lace over the top.

The pattern I used for this dress was New Look 6002, although I only used the bodice and waist band as I wanted to add a more gathered, flirty skirt! This seems to have become my ‘go-to’ bodice pattern for a lot of the dresses I have been making lately (pictures to come soon). It is so simple to use and I havn’t had to make a single alteration, mainly because of the use of pleats instead of darts at the front – this makes it easier to alter the fit around the bust. It always surprises me whenever I make this bodice because it looks tiny, like it is never going to fit – but it always does! That doesn’t stop me from panicking though

It is the adorable cap sleeves that I truly love about this pattern though. You insert between the bodice and lining (both sides right way around) and the pull the garment the right way round, iron flat and Ta Da! All done! The pattern instructions explain this better I think!

I would certainly recommend this pattern – it gives so many bodice choices and although I didn’t use the skirt this time around, I have put it to use before and that too it easy to use! I think it is a great staple pattern that you can chop and change easily!

Does anyone have any other staple patterns they use all of the time they would recommend? 

I would love to hear what you think of this dress and of any project you have planned for the New Year!

Well that is all from me today, I would like to wish all my fellow bloggers and readers a very happy New Year

Hugs and Kisses