I fell in love and purchased the Highlands Wrap Dress pattern on the day of its release.

The pattern by Allie Olson, is an easy-fitting garment for spring and summer. This pattern is for woven fabrics and features a faced V-neckline and waist ties that are secured at the side of the waist. Allie has an option for short sleeves or a sleeveless option. The dress comes in two lengths, midi and maxi which features a side slit that ends above the knee.

The pattern suggests making a muslin which I did with a textured Tencel which I purchased cheaply at a local emporium. I had my fingers and toes crossed that this pattern and fabric combination would work out because I love the fabric but didn’t want to invest a lot of time in making an unwearable muslin. My version is a size 12 and I shortened the midi-length by 10cm to create a knee length version.

Tencel is a perfect fabric choice for this pattern. It drapes beautifully and holds its shape. The wrap is formed by two symmetrical front pieces which wrap across opposite fronts and is held in place with a snap. The dress has lovely facings which were interfaced along with the ties. At the time I felt a little overwhelmed by the number of long fabric lengths to interface. You don’t have to do this, but I’m glad I did as it adds the perfect amount of structure to the garment. I block fused all my pieces as I hate cutting out interfacing. I recommend marking all your fabric pieces so you can identify what’s what.

I’m thrilled with how my Tencel dress turned out. It feels like a classic item which I’ve been needing for a while. I like the shaping through the back with the use of elastic which pulls in the waist and showcases the back of the dress. The side splits create beautiful movement along with the swishy Tencel. I recently wore it to my sister’s wedding. (Cue silly family photobooth photo).

Because this version was turning out so well I decided to cut into some gorgeous green floral fabric which I acquired at last years Fabric-a-Brac. I wanted to use this fabric for the right project and I thought this would be it! The fabric is a similar weight to the Tencel but much more drapey. It was a bit of a nightmare to cut out without shifting. I originally made this top as a dress, however, the imperfect finish and the dress length made me feel matronly. As far as saves go this is a pass. I will wear this top a lot with skirts, pants and jeans.

This year I’ve been trying to embrace slowness in my sewing. To create garments which are timeless and add to my dream capsule wardrobe. These two pieces will get a lot of wear over the changing season. I’m trying to embrace imperfection because sometimes done is better than perfect.