Pattern Review: Amy Butler Mini Dress, Tunic & Tops

PATTERN NAME, COMPANY: Amy Butler, Midwest Modern Sewing Patterns, Mini Dress, Tunic & Tops.


SIZING: Pattern includes Girl’s size 7-12 dress, tunic or top and Women’s size 2-22 dress, tunic, long top or short top

I MADE: Womens’ size medium (10-12) long top

TIME TO COMPLETE (from cutting fabric to completion): Approximately 4 hours




WHERE TO BUY:
This is available in a lot of shops online, regular retail price is around $16, here are a few bargains I found:

Fabrics to Sew Etsy Shop: $12.50:
Fabricsupplies Etsy shop: $13.95:
Above all Fabric: $12.28:

PATTERN AND FABRIC KIT:
Great idea, this Canadian shop sells the pattern alone or with the fabric, also has some alternate model views of the dress unseen in the pattern:
Kit 1
Kit 2

REAL PEOPLE:
Here are some other blog reviews of this pattern:

beezekneesfashions
yourfabricplace
jumpthestitch

And here are some photos I found of others who made this:

+Eva+ on Flickr
Fancy Tiger Craft Shop on Facebook

And this looks fun, a sew-along on the ‘Monkey Foot Designs and Stacy Sews Sew-Along’ Flickr group featuring this pattern or the new Field Bag/Tote! Sew-Along


Back to the review...

FABRIC: I used an Irish linen that I already had, handkerchief weight, and the lining is a cotton quilt weight Amy Butler fabric from the Lotus line. You can use any light-medium weight fabric.

PATTERN: The pattern is printed on regular tan sewing pattern tissue paper and includes three size groups: girls XS to L (7-12), women’s XS, S, M (2-12) and women’s L, XL, XXL and XXXL (14-22).

PATTERN SIZING: Very true! Use the bust measurement.

HOW IT LOOKED ON ME: Since I used linen and not cotton it looked different from the photo on the pattern cover. Also, I think I should have made it a little larger. I “forgot” my bust size was larger than what I thought! (my mother told me that when you get older, your nose, feet and bust grow, what the??? It’s true though, sigh)

INSTRUCTIONS: Instructions were excellent. I thought I found a mistake but upon re-reading it, I was wrong. : )

DISLIKES: Nothing really. I've made other Amy Butler patterns and this was probably the best experience so far. I especially like that it's comfy to wear.


PATTERN CHANGES:
I did not put a zipper in, I can slip it over my head though it is a teeny snug when doing that. I just wanted a more simple top.

For the same reason, I did not add the pockets. When I was wearing the top, I kind of wished I had put in the pockets.

Not really a change but I sewed all exposed seams using the French seam method.


Would I sew it again? YES, already planning on making the dress.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
I definitely recommend this to anyone with basic sewing skills up to advanced. If you are a beginner, the zipper could be tricky but the instructions are very clear. It would be super cute to make a mother-daughter version since all sizes are included! Also, it is super comfortable and cute.