To add a little feminine touch, and to better conceal the fact there is an open empire seam, she wanted a row of knit flowers, this tutorial she saw on Tea Rose Home.  Rather than hand sewing the individual circles into flowers, I folded the 3 circles into quarters, then used the machine to sew the bottoms, saving a little time.  I did have to sew each flower on individually.  I like how the sleeves have a little puff to them. 

front back

My cousin, Stephanie is an awesome artist. I commissioned a painting from her, and we're trading. I'm making her some skirts and she's painting. I definitely owe her more than skirts for her art work, but for now she'll only accept the skirts so we'll see how I can get even.



These photos stink...I know.
The first skirt was for the wedding. For the rest she had fabric picked out and told me I could do what I wanted. So here is the first one. Pencil skirt with pockets and pleats under them. There's six panels, I hoped this would make the skirt even more flattering on her petite body. I love skirts/ dresses with pockets, so hopefully Steph likes it. I used Butterick 5249 pattern for it.

Now that I am done nursing (HOORAY!) and don't have to wear shirts/skirts, I thought I'd treat myself to a dress. Most of my dresses are empire waists so I wanted something different. I LOVE eyelet. I found this lavender for $2/yd so that was sweet. I also have teal and sand colored eyelet that I don't know what to do with.
A sack dress appealed to me because it isn't fitted, so when I sit down I won't see my fat rolls on my gut. Also, I wanted a light, casual, fun summer dress that is overall COMFORTABLE. Because the nature of wearing a sack isn't too flattering, I didn't want it to look like a maternity tent. I don't know if I succeeded, maybe it still does look like a maternity tent, but it is comfortable and so it works. The yoke and pleats seemed on all the photos to help make it more shapely without turning it into a fitted dress. I used this pattern: Simplicity 2933 and I'm a novice at using patterns and I survived, despite a few calls to my mom to answer questions. I added pockets in the side seams, I love dresses with pockets for some reason.
Anyway, I'd recommend this pattern for a comfy spring/summer dress. It takes less than 2 yards of fabric, so pretty inexpensive. It cost me:
-$6 for fabric (I had to have lining because eyelet has holes, so double the fabric)
-$.50 fusible interfacing
-$1.99 for pattern (Hancock fabrics have great pattern sales around Easter)
So about $8.50 to make this sack. If I'd selected a fabric that didn't require a second layer it could have been $5.50!

In my google image search I saw a lot of people that throw a belt on top of sack dresses, but I am ruler shaped and that would accomplish nothing I think....but do I really know about fashion and how to wear flattering clothes? Not really, I want to wear sacks as an alternative to sweats.