Long and Lovely Plaid Dress

What to do when a summer dress with sleeves is needed and you don't have one? Make such a dress of course!

I saw this pink and gray plaid at Walmart and it just called out to me. "Turn me into a dress! Or at least a shirt!" So I brought home 3 yards and got to thinking up a design for it.

All I knew was that I wanted elbow-length sleeves with a ruffle at the bottom. First I considered making a knee-length wrap dress. Then I decided that wasn't what I wanted. Next I sketched out a dress with buttons down the front. That wasn't quite what I wanted either. Finally I decided to use the two patterns pictured above. I combined and majorly altered them. 

   

The result was a very comfortable, dropped-waist, ankle-length dress. With a square neckline and pockets (of coarse).

Now my favorite part of this dress is the gray lace at the waist and on the sleeves.

I found this lace in my stash and decided it would be just perfect on this dress. First I put it on the sleeves.

After that, this was the lace I had left.

I really liked the wider lace and thought it would look great at the waistband of my dress. Sadly there wasn't near enough of it, but at least I still had plenty of the narrow lace. So I decided to make the narrow lace look like the wide lace.

I used a zig-zag stitch to sew the points together. Once the lace was all pieced together I had enough for the waistband! (with 3 inches to spare)

Then my summer dress with sleeves was done! Now it's packed in my suitcase so I can wear it in Guatemala next week. Now, back to preparing for the trip I go!