Mother's Day Myrtle

This Mother's Day my family spent a weekend down the shore. It's been the first time we have all been able to stay in our house since hurricane sandy. My Mom has been working really hard getting everything in order for the house and I wanted to make her something comfortable she could wear around the beach.  We rode our bikes to the bay beach to take these pictures of the gorgeous bay. 

I thought a knit dress would be easy, and little fitting needed since this dress was a surprise. Colette Patterns Myrtle seemed like the perfect thing. The fabric is another Art Gallery Knit, it's my FORTH time making something from these knits. I love them, they wash well, easy to sew, and the prints are very cute. This dress looks straight out of the Boden catalog, which happens to be my Mom's fave. 

I made the straight size M, and the longer skirt version. I'm not 100% happy with the fit. The top is a bit overly draped, overwhelming. And I wasn't expecting the back to be gaping too. 

The dress came together in a few hours of working on it. The only trouble I had were the directions for the waistband elastic part. The drawings were throwing me off, sometimes when directions are too thorough it throws me off.  I omitted the pockets, pockets in a knit just droop down as soon as you put your phone in it, I hate a droopy pocket. 

The biggest change I mad was cutting the back skirt piece on the fold, instead of having a seam there. I can't figure out a reason why there needs to be a seam there. It didn't save any fabric, this knit is 60' wide so maybe it makes a difference for 45". I removed 3/8" seam allowance from the edge and placed it on the fold. 

This is the end of my selfless sewing streak. It started with a shirt for the dog, my brother's shirt, and now this but it's time to get back to sewing for ME. And they better not get used to all this selflessness, lol. 

Happy Mother's day everyone!