Navy Dotted Alder Shirtdress

Another dress I made in the winter, and I'm just getting around to blogging it now!  I bought the Alder Shirtdress pattern a while ago and have fabric I bought with a birthday gift card last August.  It took me a while to get up the courage to sew something with a collar...  I don't know why I waited so long... it really wasn't that hard!  Please don't mind my pasty-white skin, I took these photos back in March!  Also, I'm just really pasty ;)

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For my first go with this pattern I went with the gathered skirt option... which turned out to be the more difficult version!  I'm also not a huge fan of how it looks on me, so the next time I make this I'll probably stick to the straight skirt version.  This was one of the patterns on my #2017MakeNine list, so I'm happy to have it crossed off!

The pattern doesn't include pockets, but I added some to the skirt anyways!  They turned out a bit too low, and I'm not sure if I would add them to the straight skirt version...

As for the collar I was so nervous about - I used a contrasting fabric on the underside, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out.  The only thing I would change is using a matching thread in my bobbin, so I don't have the dark stitches showing up. 

Overall, I'm really pleased with the construction of this shirtdress.  However - I think the fabric I chose is a bit too lightweight for a dress and I feel kind of exposed wearing it.  I would also maybe straighten out the hem, as the curves do come up a bit higher than I'm comfortable with for wearing to work.  I haven't really worn this dress a whole lot because of that, so I might sew up a little slip to go underneath... I'll also feel a bit better in it in the warmer weather.

Also, I still haven't gotten my new-to-me machine (an original Singer Diana) fixed up so that the zig-zag stitches actually work, and I'm not quite comfortable doing tiny free-handed button holes on my old machine - so snaps it is!  I really love the 'pearl' snaps I picked up from Fabricland... but I'm trying to find different ones to put on other garments which is proving to be a bit difficult.  Ah well! I'll just have to get that machine fixed up soon!