I Followed a Pattern!

My sewing adventures so far have been a bit of hit, a lot of miss and rarely following the instructions. So, I am particularly pleased that I have finally managed to follow a pattern to the letter, with some great results. I'd had this crossover dress from Smashed Peas and Carrots on my Pinterest board for a while, so yesterday I decided it was time to tackle it (much motivated by my desire to keep my daughter out of grossly over-flowered and over-pink outfits).
Staying true to my upcycling commitment, the blue side was a 1rm (15p / 20c) sleeveless blouse from a 'bundle' shop in KL, and the spotty side was one of my baby's receiving blankets.

Although it's a bit big yet, I couldn't resist trying it on her and I'm really please with how it turned out. Usually when I go to try things on her, I realise the armholes are too tight or she can't get her head through so this was a definite win. Next challenge: diaper bloomers to match!

What I learnt:

• receiving blankets have way more material in them than you'd think
• sometimes unpicking hems and seams is really worth the time it takes (for that extra inch of material) on items to be upcycled
• covering buttons with material is easy with Daiso's 5rm packs of 24
• pressing seams can make a project go from beginner to brilliant