Alex attempts a dress part 1...

Well I'm back and I've started my dress making attempt. The pattern I'm using is Simplicity pattern 2444 which I got free with a magazine.
All of the goodies I'd ordered for my dress making have arrived over the past few days and I've gathered all my supplies together. I bought an invisible zip foot for my sewing machine (before noticing the pattern doesn't call for an invisible zip - just a normal one. Oh well...) and some fabric and a zip. Everything else I had hanging around all ready. (excuse the Christmas table cloth that apparently never made it off our dining room table!)

My goodies - the great British Sewing Bee book, some calico for my first attempt at a dress, some tracing paper so i don't ruin my pattern, and my pattern I got free.

I decided to lay out my pattern on the floor of our lounge and to trace over the pieces I needed so that I could use the pattern again (not that I plan to get any bigger with doing this insanity workout) just in case I made any mistakes. Of course I had to gain some cans to weigh it all down. For future reference this tracing paper was awful to see through. I think next time I must find something much thinner.

all laid out to be traced

I also quickly discovered that my ability to trace objects and draw in a straight line is almost non existent so I'll have to work on that. Tracing all the bit i needed took 2.5 sheets of tracing paper. I suspect with a bit of fiddling I could of used less, although this is just the very basic version of the dress with no fancy collar or sleeves or belt.

1st few pieces all traced

Luckily although i can't draw in a straight line I can cut in one so I managed to save the templates with my wonderful cutting skills. I'm pleased I remembered to write all the pattern numbers on and the names when I added the markings of I suspect I'd be baffled next time.

All cut out and ready to pin to fabric

That's me done for the day. Unlike in the Great British Sewing bee I'm not about to make a dress in a crazy amount of time (although I suspect I could have this done in a day if I really put my mind to it).

Next time around pinning and cutting my fabric then I finally get to sew! yay!