now i realize it’s after Labor Day and wearing white is no longer “allowed,” but today i’m reposting my guest post for the Bolt blog from August, in case you missed it.  i was about 12 weeks pregnant here, and fretted the whole time I sewed that this dress wouldn’t fit or flatter when i was done!  somehow, though, the waistline hit just high enough to hide my already-poppin’ belly (with the help of a little sucking in and some spanx).   

aaaaanyway…here’s the post.  

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Hi, I’m Kristin from skirt as top and i’m happy to be sharing a project here today on the Bolt blog!  It was a really neat experience for me bringing this dress to life with the help of the fine ladies at Bolt, and creating a sample for the store I love so much.

The pattern is the Réglisse Dress by Deer and Doe.  Deer and Doe is a French company that I’ve started seeing pop up more and more in blogland lately, and I love their classic, pretty style.  The instructions come in both French and English, so no guesswork is involved.  Bolt carries a great selection of their patterns and after sewing one, I’m looking forward to trying more in the future!

The Réglisse is an unlined dress with a sweet bow collar, cap sleeves, and a circle skirt.  There’s an elasticized waistband which is cleverly inserted, and, aside from turning the thin bow tubes which was a bit of a pain, the construction was really nice.  The pattern is rated Intermediate, which I agree with.  It’s not a first project type pattern, but it’s not difficult either.

I made a size 42 based on my measurements.  I think the bodice might be a tad big on me and would probably size down next time, but it’s the type of dress that is meant to have a bit of ease, so it works.

The fabric is Robert Kaufman Seersucker, which Bolt carries in the shop in a few colors (I chose white on white).  I love how fresh and clean and summery it is.  The fabric is 57″ wide, which is a requirement of the skirt (it’s two half circles pieced at the sides) unless you want seams down the front and back.  Typical 45″ wide quilting cotton is a bit too narrow – we checked!

The front and back bodices are cut on the bias, and I love the subtle chevron effect from the pieced seersucker.

I’m looking forward to making this dress again in a printed voile, maybe switching up the sleeves or collar for a different look…lots of options!  Check out the Réglisse Sew Along on the Deer and Doe blog for construction tips and more inspiration, stop by Bolt to check this dress out in person, and maybe grab some seersucker while you’re at it too!