My latest new pattern is Millie. The Millie pattern is a ladies pattern which offers two dress styles and a top version. It also has lots of hack potential too.
I started developing the Millie pattern much earlier in the year with a plan to publish it during the summer. However the pattern became a victim to all sorts of delays from lost post to Covid and a number of other problems in between! I decided to stay focused and push through despite having made and photographed summer versions and knowing the release would be in autumn. The pattern can easily be adapted to wear in the cooler months. Luckily my pattern testers have come up with some great examples of how to make and wear Millie for autumn and winter. I will be sharing another post soon with all their great makes and findings.
Millie Pinafore:
The Millie pattern includes two dress styles. An A-line pinafore dress which is fitted around the bust, loose at the waist with an A-line skirt finishing at the knee. All style fasten at the back with an invisible zip.
The bodice features a fitted band above the bust with wide straps. The straps are wide enough to cover bra straps. The straps and band can be top-stitched to compliment the dress or stitched so that no top-stitching shows.
There are large feature patch pockets that are lined for a neat clean finish and stitched into the side seams.
I made this dress in craft weight cotton which comes in an abundance of colours so playing around with colour blocking is great fun. It also works in many other woven medium weight fabrics from linen blends to denim. A slightly heavier fabric such as denim would turn this into the perfect style to wear over a long sleeve t-shirt for a great autumn everyday version.
Millie top:
The Millie top is a shortened version of the pinafore dress. It has a hem facing and side vents.
The facing can be stitched on the inside or the outside as a feature. This is a great opportunity for playing with colour blocking or different prints. A practical way to use those pretty remnants from another project to create a unique feature.
I used craft weight cotton for this top. I think a soft double gauze or chambray version worn with a snugly knit or smart jacket would be lovely at this time of year.
Tiered dress:
The tiered dress is gently gathered onto the same band and using the same straps as the other styles. Each tier is gathered on to create a full skirted maxi style.
I made this dress in viscose which is soft and floaty, great for holiday wear. For more impact and volume you could try it in cotton lawn or double gauze.
I hope you enjoy the new pattern. Look out for tutorials on fitting and making coming soon to my youtube channel.
Love the pocket design in this dress pattern. Looks different and is so practical. The great thing about this pocket design is that it is secure and my mobile phone does not fall out when sitting down.
That’s such a good thing to know about. I do a love big pockets they are super practical and useful 🙂