Wacky Wednesday – Tres Belle Dress

There are few things more satisfying as a sewist than finally turning a fabric you’ve been holding onto for years into a garment that you know that you’re going to wear all the time. This is one of those garments!

I picked up this beautiful fabric before I had become comfortable sewing with knits, so probably about 2 years ago. It was so beautiful, and I knew that someday I’d be ready to use it for something great! I have been holding onto it with some ideas of a cute and comfy dress to wear around the winter holidays – folded up next to a few other fabrics on my shelf, this deep green seemed like the perfect colorway for a cheery Christmas dress without being a super traditional red and green color scheme. 

Now that I’ve sewn it up, all I can see is springtime! Although I may not be wearing it on Christmas Day (and who knows – honestly, I still might! I’ve got plenty of time to decide!), I can guarantee that this dress is going to be worn constantly. It incorporates so many style elements that I love, like a great deep V-Neck, ¾ length sleeves, and a circle skirt. It is the perfect blend of put together and comfy, so it is going to transition well into just about any situation I decide to wear it to.

This pattern is GREAT. It comes with lots of options – four sleeve lengths, three skirt options, belt or not, and I’m sure you could even hack it further if none of these combinations gave you exactly what you wanted. For me, that circle skirt is all that I need. I had way too much fun spinning around in it for photos… But watch out, this thing is DANGEROUS if it is windy outside.

I’m always on the lookout for a great deep V-neck, and this one is perfection. It hugs in all the right places, is nursing friendly, but also stays put where I want it to be. You can choose to make your V-neck more shallow (or you could even go deeper than I did here!) by changing how much you gather the sides of your front bodice pieces. I’ve seen some great versions with fairly high necks, but you guys know I’m going to make mine as low as possible (perks of small chest blessings.)

Still looking for other reasons that you need this pattern? Here’s one – from printing and cutting the pattern .pdf to finished dress, this project took me about 3 hours. Still not convinced? This pattern is ONE DOLLAR today. I’ve included my affiliate link here and again below with all of the details of this make, and I would love if you used it to grab yourself a copy of this pattern.

I’m currently wondering how many versions of this dress I can get away with before people start wondering if I have anything else in my wardrobe… And even then, if I’d care. 🙂

Dress: handmade by me
Pattern: Ellie & Mac – Tres Belle Dress
Fabric: Minerva – Art Gallery Fabrics – Bougainvillea Evergreen Knit by Bari J.  

Key Ingredients:
Brother XR9500PRW Sewing Machine
Brother 1034D Overlocker / Serger
Schmetz Jersey Ballpoint Needles
Dahle 36×48 Self-healing Cutting Mat
Heat & Bond Soft Stretch (Lite)  

Though the pattern used in this post was generously provided to me by the awesome team at Ellie & Mac, all words and opinions expressed are my own, as always! Links provided throughout this post may be affiliate links – if you choose to purchase any products through these links, I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you. This simply helps me justify the costs of my sewing habit and the time it takes to share it with you!! Happy Sewing!

• XX Elizabeth