Cynthia Rowley Cold Shoulder Shift Dress

Happy May, y’all! Wow, has it really been three months since my last post?! Despite the silence on the blog, I’ve been busy sewing all the things (including face masks) the past few months. By the time the shelter in place took effect in Dallas in mid-March, I had already shipped several dozen face masks to friends and family in the medical field. All that to say, I never quite got around to sharing my recently finished garments for spring!

When Minerva Crafts sent me this lovely rose printed sateen, I initially had a pair of wide-leg trousers in mind, but once I washed and prepped my fabric, I realized it was perfect for a boxy shift dress. It has minimal stretch and good recovery, so it would work great for slacks, but I’ve been loving all the shift dresses these days.

I came across Simplicity 2406 (Sorry, it’s out of print.) while organizing my patterns back in January and set it aside. I made View B years ago out of a rayon linen blend, and it was my favorite dress until it got stained. I intended to sew another, but never got around to it.

I love the cold shoulder detail and slight gathering along the neckline. Unlike the other cold shoulder dress that I’ve sewn, this pattern also has lined raglan sleeves, an optional back zipper, and an optional sash. I decided to omit the sash, added an invisible zipper, and lined the entire dress with a black cotton batiste from my stash.

I don’t recommend this pattern for a beginner, but I think an intermediate sewist can decipher the instructions for the sleeves on views A and B. I impulsively added the black pom-pom trim to the sleeves to make it a little more fun and festive. I intended to take this dress to Florida later this year, but, like many others, our vacation may get canceled. Since we aren’t going out to celebrate any time soon, I wore it to our backyard Cinco de Mayo Taco Fiesta last week.

Even though life has felt a bit uprooted and chaotic, it’s also been full of blessings. I’ve really enjoyed our back yard picnics and bedtime living room dance parties over the past few weeks. I’m not sure what tomorrow brings, but I know we’ll get through this. Have hope, friends.

How are you getting through these strange times? Have you taken up a new hobby?