The Cam-bee Dress

When Sara kindly asked me to join her Dress Up Party, it gave me just the excuse I needed to make another Cambie dress.

The Cambie is such a sweet little sewing pattern with enough variations to make it feel like you’re customising your dress to what will really suit you. Here I chose the square front and full skirt without the waistband.

The outer fabric is a bee print Makower cotton – this is the white colourway but there are some gorgeous other colours – making this my Cam-bee dress heehee. I don’t sew with many quilting cottons these days, nor do I often wear white, but I couldn’t resist this print. I also lined the dress in white habotai (I love a fully lined dress).

As this is my second version I think I’ve worked out all my fitting issues. I staystitched the neckline before sewing as my first version stretched a little. I also recommend a muslin to make sure those sleeves don’t fall off your shoulders. I omitted the waistband because I find them a little uncomfortable on my stomach but perhaps that’s just me.

Another helpful thing I did on this version was to make a pair of little chains on my overlocker and attached one end to the tops of my pockets and the other ends were caught in the waist seam. This helps stop the pocket bag sagging. It would be more ideal if the pattern had the top of the pocket bag caught in the waist seam but I suppose that could get a little bulky.

One thing I’d like to mention is that Tasia’s instructions are very succinct I’m always impressed reading one of her pattern booklets at how efficiently she takes you through the work needed in a small number of steps. I have three Sewaholic patterns and I’ve not struggled making any of them.

I’ve said it before but I’m not sure if I’ll try the sweetheart version or the fitted skirt but I’m super keen to try a button up version after seeing Rosie Wednesday’s cute candy cane variation. Such a clever hack of the pattern! I also have some horse print chiffon lined up for another version.

These pictures were taken at the lake near my house. It’s a small lake where people walk their dogs and go fishing. There’s a flat wooden bridge that goes across the lake, with high reeds either side that almost hide it. It was so sunny when we were there I struggled not to squint in the photos.

Time to sign off, but here’s a bonus picture of me pretending to push over a tree.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!