An Admiraal Dress for Me

Do you ever look at a design and decide that you will recreate it, even if you have to make the pattern yourself? (Please tell me I'm not the only one who does this!) Such was my thought after I made the Admiraal Dress for my little sister - I wanted one just like it for myself! I even had the perfect fabric already in my stash! So, I was going to cobble together a few patterns and make it. Then, I didn't have to.

Just as I figured out what pattern I could adapt to make the double-breasted bodice, Steph, the woman behind The Eli Monster patterns, designer of the Girl's Admiraal Dress, announced she would be releasing the Admiraal Dress pattern in ladies' sizes. Wooohooo! I could just sit back and wait for that pattern to be ready! I didn't have to make my own!

Meanwhile, the fabric for my dress was waiting patiently in my stash - 3 yards of a rather heavy blue cotton plaid. Technically, it was drapery fabric, not dressmaking fabric, but it was so pretty, I just had to wear it! Provided, of course, that I could find a pattern to showcase it appropriately. As it doesn't require a particularly flowey fabric, and has some nice tailored details, the Admiraal Dress was just the pattern for my fabric.  

Thus, when I had the opportunity to test the new pattern, I jumped on it! After a couple of quick bodice mock-ups to check fit, I was finally able to cut into my pretty plaid fabric and turn it into something wearable.

I looked through my stash to find a suitable fabric for my cuffs and collar and settled on a textured gold satin - left over from a prom dress alteration I did years ago. It added just the right amount of sparkle to my plaid cotton dress!

The fabrics and pattern complimented each other just as I'd hoped they would! The heavy fabric holds the pleats beautifully and the large plaid highlights the design without overpowering it like a busier print might. 

And I got just the pretty blue plaid dress I wanted, without having to make the pattern myself!

If you're interested in making this dress yourself, both the Girl's and the Adult's Admiraal Dress patterns are on sale for just $7 until this Monday (4/30/18)!