Finished Object - Cleo

My first off shift of the country wide lockdown started off quite productive, and I managed to get another long standing queue sewing project done. Quite a while ago I treated myself to a kit from Tilly and the Buttons to make the Cleo dress. Now I'm not normally the one for dresses, I only own one or two, but I fell in love with this one, and even more so now I have finally made it.

I did have one or two worries to start with, I had gone with the denim fabric kit, and I have never before worked with denim, but I did have a listen to the Love To Sew podcast episode on Denim and it made me feel a lot less nervous, and finding some denim needles in my sewing box I thought I would just dive straight in, and I am so glad I did.

I spread the making over a few days, but it could have easily been smashed out in a day. I started off tracing out the pattern on one sunny day and the next day was cutting out the pieces, again with the glorious sunshine on my back.

The pattern, with its lovely booklet, talks you through how to make the dress with clarity and lovely clear photos. Perfect for the ambitious beginner or a nervous sewist. The kit I got came with everything I needed, including the buckles and buttons, which was so useful, but I'm sure they are pretty easy to come across on the internet.

Taking the pattern slowly and one step at a time it really got my sewing mojo back on course and I loved how it turned out. I was worried at one or two points along the way that I wouldn't like the end product. I've said before how I'm not much of a dress person, but I think having made this and finding ways to style it that I feel comfortable in, I'm really quite happy.

I was also quite excited to learn how to finish off the seams in that typical jeans style, and got a lot better at my top stitching when making the pockets. Yes you read that, pockets! And so many! If you are anything like me, pockets on anything are a must and incredibly exciting. I took the options of a big front pocket and two smaller back pockets, but there are also instructions for front hip pockets too. I'm sure that if you were adventurous enough you could add in seam hip pockets, which might be my challenge for another day.

Having now got sewing with denim tucked firmly under my belt, I am looking at trying a full set of dungarees as well as a pair of jeans. I'm already excited for these, but first I've got a few other things to get sewn, whilst rocking this new dress of mine!