Raindrops

Another newbie for the spring rotation: the Raindrops dress.  So named for the Cotton+Steel fabric it is made from.  I fell for this print sometime last spring, and ordered it immediately.  I then decided it didn't work for my summer or fall rotations, so set it aside until this spring.  I think the print is just so pretty!  

Not a lot to say about this dress, being pretty much like all the other Dottie Angel dresses I make. 

I've recently started cutting my back piece smaller because I've lost enough weight to do so and be comfortable in the dress, but I'm still tweaking the back elastic to fit appropriately.  The elastic points on my old back pattern were fine, but I've not quite gotten them right on the new back piece which is narrower. 

Also, I made two rayon dresses just before I made this one, and rayon needs a pretty snug back to look right in the front, so I may have overcompensated in this more firm cotton.  I ended up retaking half my pictures this morning because I had to go back and adjust the elastic for a looser fit.  I probably need to do it again for best results.

Basically, if the back elastic is too tight, it creates a drag line under the bust in the front.  (see above). 

Smiling is a little easier today, and while I'm still taking pain meds around the clock, I've been able to space the doses out a little bit more, so that is progress, I guess.   I just bought some daffodil yellow cotlin from Knit Picks to make a little shawlette to go with this dress and my Market Floral Zadie.  It is hard to see in the photos, but all of the white flowers have tiny yellow centers and some of the long flowers have yellow stems.  I think it will be a lovely contrast once it warms up a bit.  Today, however, we are back in the 20s with a good wind chill, so I added a sweater over top after taking the girls to the park and freezing my fingers and toes off.

Good spring boots.  Not good winter boots.  Should have worn my Uggs.

What happens when you retake your photos with two little girls "helping".  

Ponchik: "I'm cold, Mama!"  

Me: "Me too!" 

Ponchik: "Well, put on your coat, Mama!"  

Still didn't quite get the elastic right yet, but I'll fix it this afternoon.  I tackled my mending pile this morning.  The boys keep blowing through the knees of their (reinforced) school pants, so I had to do some patching and darning.  I also finished the hand sewing on my Hobby Horse skirt (at the park, in freezing cold, no less!)  I just have to add the hardware to close it.  I fixed both charcoal linen dresses on Thursday, so I'm feeling pretty productive right now, mouth pain notwithstanding.

Just the facts:

Raindrops dress: Cotton+Steel Raindrops fabric, simplicity 1080 (redrafted/modified), vintage bias tape, elastic

Blue undershirt: Gap via ThredUp

Wool-cotton cowl: me made (Main Street Reserve from Knitpicks--retired)

Tights: Foot Traffic Signature cotton in navy

Boots: KadiMaya in gray, via amazon