My First Dress

Vogue V1102 - perfect for a winter wedding
I was looking for a dress to wear to a winter wedding, but everything in the shops around Christmastime were black or sparkly, so I decided to find a nice pattern and fabric and have a go at making my first dress.

I found this great curtain fabric at the bargain price of £3.99/metre at the Cloth Shop in Edinburgh. I loved the Art Deco design and its lovely soft sheen. I added the bright red bow (100% cotton) for contrast.

As a complete beginner, I found the pattern hard to follow in places, but there was nothing that I couldn't figure out or improvise to make work.

I put a red zip in the back, but I had to make a major alteration to the dress the night before the wedding (I'd cut it to fit my bust, but that made it too big everywhere else) so I took it in at the back seam and realised the dress could easily be pulled on over my head, so I didn't bother to put a zip in the smaller version.

I'm delighted with how it turned out and I want to make the same dress in black like the version on the packet.

If you had a marriage proposal during the holidays, I think this pattern would make a lovely alternative wedding dress with the right fabric and worn with some flouncy underskirts.

I bought the pattern from www.jaycotts.com for £12.50.