The Powder-Blue Shirtdress (my first!)

I finally made a dress for myself after talking and daydreaming about it for a few years.

The fabric came from a king-sized Ralph Lauren sheet that I bought out of sheer love early in my married life.  We used it for a while until I became conscious that I didn't want to wear it out. So I put it in my cedar chest.  At one point, I was going to make a bedskirt out of it and started making lines on it with a Sharpie.  Thank goodness I stopped short.

The fabric is crisp and heavy.  The 10 buttons down the front were a bit pricey, so I used sparkly clear buttons at the cuffs. . . which I made up freestyle by looking at my husband's shirts.  The dress pattern (Simplicity 4171) had elbow-sleeves and I find them an awkward length for layering.  I have visions of layering this dress like a big shirt - over a skirt, under a skirt, under a cardi. . .

But for its debut, I just added turquoise earrings and brown boots. I have a red belt in the wings too.  And won't this look smart under a denim jacket? 

I admit that by the time I was done sewing this and fixing all the most obvious mistakes (a crooked belt loop, uneven cuffs, pinched collar facing, backwards lap of hem and facing), I hated the dress.  However, it fits me like a dream and that blue is so perfect.. . I'm coming around.

(thanks to my husband for the quick photo shoot after I came home from work)