Fen by Fancy Tiger Crafts

I'm baack!!

And with my first make of 2019.....the Fen dress by Fancy Tiger Crafts.

The style of this dress has everything I love: 2 neckline options, boxy shape, cute hemline choices, and ... POCKETS!

This was the perfect project to jump start my year of sewing, even though it wasn't in my #makenine2019 

plan. It is a great pattern, easy enough for a beginner, but still very fun for a maker like me who has been sewing for many years (ahem!).

Here I am at work yesterday:

I wore my Fen all day and then later out to Knit Night with my knitting buddies.

I used what I am calling a "Mystery" fabric from JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts....my receipt from J said this was a Rayon Spandex...but I don't think so. No stretch at all! And doesn't wrinkle a bit. So, I'm guessing it's a polyester of some sort, and has a black denim look to it. It served my purpose for this wearable muslin in that it functioned like a light woven, with the drapey quality that I think this dress needs.

It may be difficult to see, but the back has two perfectly placed darts that run into the waist, which would allow for any needed back adjustments.  The front also has darts that come up out of the waist. I am happy to say that the only fit adjustment I made was to add 1 inch to the length of the bodice, although my next Fen will have an adjustment at the neckline/shallow upper chest region where there is a bit of excess fabric.

Oh....and look at that cute hemline! There is also an option for a shirt tail hem, which would be so cute for summer.

Below, you can see the various ways I styled this dress: first with a simple necklace:

Then with my Hermes scarf:

And then for these cold Midwest days with my Suburban Wrap:

It feels great to be back in the sewing studio again after a short hiatus. 

What's next? The Blackwood Cardigan by Helen's Closet!