Crimson
I love fancy sleeves, ruffles, gathers, anything that makes my work wardrobe look like it comes from Nordstrom rather than Walmart.
I also love quick, easy patterns. If I don’t sew it all at the same time, I lose my place in the tutorial and lose my motivation to finish. I like a pattern that I can just sew all in one sitting.
The Crimson Dress from George and Ginger does all of the above for me.
I know it looks complicated, but it’s actually really easy!
The ruffles/flounce sleeves are really simple. You don’t even have to hem them if you don’t want to. (I did, because I love an excuse to use my coverstitch)
The flounces sandwich in the bodice, so no complicated attachments. I also love that the bodice is lined so the weight of the ruffles doesn’t pull it out of shape.
The dress also has a circle skirt. You know those are my favorite! The look of a gathered skirt without the act of gathering. Plus cutting on the double fold means no side seams to sew. It’s the easiest type of skirt I’ve found.
Crimson dress is a bit of a fabric hog (as most of my fancy makes are), requiring a lining, wide skirt and the flounces. But I have some tips for you to help!
Grab a scrap pack from your favorite fabric store. Knitpop and The Fab Clique have them occasionally, but I stalk Sincerely Rylee’s facebook page because she has them the most often. You’ll get a whole box full of remnants 1/4 yard and up and flawed cuts for under $10. I got this flawed 1 yard cut in a Sincerely Rylee scrap box. I chose it because it matches the stretch of my main fabric. and it’s the lining so no one will ever see the flaw. I use the rest of my scrap box for some of my favorite scrap buster patterns (link to favorite scrap buster makes page)
My lining pieces cut, see the flaw won’t even matter! This dress also has a lined bodice, so it’s more difficult for me to remember to put in a fabric loop or tag so I know the back of the dress. The light colored lining fabric allows me to use a sharpie and make a “B” on the back bodice.
The main fabric of my Crimson Dress is a Surge Steal of the week. I grabbed this raisin double brushed poly for something crazy like $4 a yard. I bought 10 yards I believe. What a great deal! Raisin is totally my color too.
Also, I’ll admit, I once again saw the version Kristi made and decided I loved it and need exactly that. Just like my heart print December Dress, copying is the highest form of flattery!
The Crimson Dress is part of the Crimson and Clover release.
Crimson’s Sister, Clover (blog) can be found here.
Link disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Clicking the link doesn’t change the product or price you’re shown, but I might get a small percentage towards materials for my next project. If you found this post helpful and are planning to purchase the pattern anyway, I’d really love for you to use my link.
Pattern Link: Crimson Dress
Fabric from: Surge Fabric Shop
