Apple Picking Dress

Thanksgiving is next week and while this fabric was originally earmarked for a smocked dress for last Thanksgiving, time was on my side yesterday and I was able to finally use it.

(It looks much better in real life.  I can never seem to get a good photo of anything I sew, ever!)

It's an Oliver + S pattern. Size 3.

The pattern calls for 10 buttons but I only had 9. Doh! So I fudged the spacing and put on 8.

To make buttonholes, I use really thin crochet cotton.   Cutting off a length, I wrap it around the sticky-out part on the back of the button hole foot, and then pull it forward and hold it taught.

Then step on the gas and do the buttonhole.
The buttonhole attachment in this photo isn't the same as the one in the above photo because on this one, the sticky-out part is hidden with the automatic buttonhole contraption doohickey.

You end up with a nicely crafted buttonhole that keeps it's shape after many buttonings (is that a word?) All it needs is a little snipping to remove the tails of the crochet threads.

 I also like to use piping wherever and whenever.  In this pattern, the piping get's sandwiched when the right and left placket gets attached to the dress front sections.  I also put it on the cuff.
Maybe I should have put piping where the skirt meets the bodice?

Is this photo any better?
Naw.
No better.

It's supposed to be warmish next week so this little cotton dress will do just fine.  Some years at Thanksgiving it's rainy with even some snow in the air. This year we'll be outdoors in the sunny weather collecting fall leaves to decorate the cottage while the turkey cooks in the oven.

Notes to self: Neck tie could be another colour. Maybe the plackets and cuffs too?  Make the hem longer. Put piping between skirt and bodice.