Laura’s Skye Dress

Well, isn’t this just a match in collaboration heaven?! 

Tilly could not have picked a more gorgeous fabric for the Classic and Mini boxes. If you can believe it, the colours are even more vibrant in person. I love that the print is floral but not obvious, and the neon pops are 100% my vibe.

I decided to make the Skye Dress. I wanted a garment that was super light and floaty to waft through this unprecedented heatwave, and this fit the bill perfectly.

I have had the pattern for a while in my stash (I think it came in a SewHayleyJane box a year or so ago) but never got around to making it. And so now was the perfect time!

The sew was straightforward and is a real testament to Tilly’s easy to follow instructions. Even the fiddly bias binding around the armholes and neckline was made easy by following their YouTube video. They have so many short, dedicated videos like this that break down key techniques so you can master them with ease.

The pattern includes a piece to make your own bias binding, but to be honest, I prefer to use pre-made bias tape, especially when dealing with a more drapey fabric. I find it far too persnickety to wrangle. For something like this, I think pre-made cotton bias tape is your best bet. It’s much more stable and I think holds its shape better… no one wants a droopy neckline and sagging arm holes!

Plus, on the Skye dress, it’s completely invisible from the outside anyway. So, why not take the easy route?

For the gathering, I took a tip from the queen of gathering (Sam from @purplesewingcloud on Instagram) and lowered the tension of the presser foot when attaching the gathered piece to the bodice. This helps stop them being squashed, keeping them nice, even and bouncy. Trust me, it makes a big difference.

The dress comes with 3 length options: mini, midi and maxi. My original plan was to make the mini length and then draft a ruffle tier. Now, I am not usually a mini-dress kinda gal, but when I tried it on without the ruffle, I loved it! I think because it is such a loose, flowy silhouette, it suits being a cute baby-doll style. The mini length is perfect for me on my 5’5” height, hitting just above my knees.

I can’t wait to wear this all summer long. And because of the black base, it will be so easy to wear over a long sleeve top in the cooler months with tights.

My perfect summer dress!