Swing Dress in Plaid

Finally! A sunny day and I can take some pics of the swing dress I made for Christmas. I used the same Sense and Sensibility 1940's Swing Dress pattern that I made my first swing dress from.

Having grappled with the instructions previously, I just about managed to get the bodice right without too much unpicking.

I'm not sure it's actually meant to be so 'blouson' but I like the way the bodice looks like it's a separate, I think the bodice pattern pieces are too large for my frame, although the skirt is a great fit.

Side zip

And boy I really matched up those checks didn't I - I unpicked the skirt panels umpteen times to get the checks to line up nicely at the front. 

But after all that angst guess what - I really wish I hadn't bothered. I wish I'd cut the skirt panels on the bias - I think the dress would look much nicer with the plaid on the diagonal! It might swing nicer too. Ce la vie. 

Not sure how my hula-hoop got in that pic.

 Well matched checks down the centre back

 Matches my dancing shoes too.

There is a lovely photo of this dress in action on Flickr, taken by photographer Lucie Robinson. I was dancing at the Royal festival Hall with Young John at Christmas - one of the nicest partners a girl could wish for and still up for lifts and drops.

Take a look!