Summer lawn flowers

I received a beautiful piece of Alexander Henry cotton lawn for my big birthday, but just one yard. This proved a bit of a challenge when choosing a pattern that would cover either my upper or lower body. I ended up going with the first thing I found in the house, Simplicity 4583. The pattern was favorably reviewed on Pattern Review and I knew I'd made it at some point in my life as a dress. The fabric looked great once lined with unbleached muslin - the colors popped just a bit more and the lining gave the lawn a bit more structure, which I appreciate as I age.

Usually I find that commercial patterns are way too big on me, so I was a bit dismayed when I tried on the top before inserting the zipper. Yikes! Time to lay off those brownies, people. I needed to rip out my side seams from the band down and pare my zipper seam allowance down to the bare minimum. I also found the whole part above the band to be a bit too wide for my shoulders and bust. Oh, and the darts hit a bit high on me, too. But other than that, really just perfect. And I do still love the fabric.

From the front

From the back - a bit dicey in the midsection