Polka dot chambray Hawthorn – FINISHED

Polka dots + shirt dress = just try and stop me wearing this dress every day of summer!

The ever-popular Colette Hawthorn is the pattern, if you hadn’t already recognised it, and it’s a good’un!

The fabric is so soft, lightweight and drapey and was a great eBay buy. It was hard to match thread, though, but I went with an almost purpley blue colour that looks pretty close.

I went with self-covered buttons to eliminate the stress of choosing a style/colour of button. Too many options – GAH! Self-covered buttons are fiddly (all 13 of them!) but they look great, IMHO! I could also see this dress with cute red buttons. Maybe for my next Hawthorn? Hmmmmmm….

This dress is reasonably quick to sew up if you have a friendly fabric, like this chambray. I was a bit worried about having pointy darts, but the fabric pressed so nicely I don’t think that’s become an issue at all!

Pattern alterations and design changes

This baby is a size 6 with virtually no adjustments except a couple of petite changes – front and back waist were shortened, the buttonholes were re-drawn and the hem was shortened a tad. Easy peasy!

I debated doing a small (1/2″) FBA on this dress going off my measurements v the size chart, but opted not to. I was pretty chuffed to not have to alter for the bust, and while I already love Colette Patterns, this is icing on the cake as far as I’m concerned.

Having worn this dress a couple of times, I am having the occasional button popping action at bust (and skirt for some reason), which could be due either the super lightweight interfacing I used, the machine-measured buttonholes (possibly a tad too large), or just the pull factor of my chestal region in the case of the bodice. This is nothing a couple of press studs won’t fix, and I can sew those on before the next wear. Hopefully it will just save me from any embarrassing moments at work, given I am karmically more likely to unknowingly flash my stuck-in-the-1950s-hey-love-wash-my-coffee-cup deputy editor rather than say, one of my female colleagues who would just laugh and tell me to put the peep show away.

Construction notes

I had a couple of little issues attaching the bias tape to the sleeves because I’d snipped notches in my armholes despite not intending to add the sleeves. I didn’t realise the bias tape would be stitched with a 1/4″ seam allowance, so my notches were on the large side (I’m so used to 5/8″!) and I had to zig-zag stich a few areas on the inside of my dress. The bias tape did a good job of hiding the dodginess, but I implore you all to not look too closely. This is not a spot the dodgy sewing puzzle, and I plead ignorance nonetheless!

I guess I’m so used to Big 4 patterns, but attaching the collar and bias tape with 1/4″ seam allowances is SO smart. It’s MUCH easier to go around curves and it eliminates the need to trim your seams – pure BRILLIANCE!

I’m happy to report there will be more Hawthorns in my future!