Lady Skater Dress

My mom visited the week before last.  When she visits, the two of us usually do some sort of big project.  This time, we made clothing - I chose the Lady Skater Dress, and my mom made a skirt from knits.  This was the first time either of us had worked with knit fabric before, and we both got really good results!

We traded off with the serger and my sewing machine - using the serger for all of the structural things and the sewing machine only for basting elastic in, topstitching around my dress's neck and arm bands, and hemming with a double needle (the first time either of us had used a double needle!).

I'm really happy with my dress, and I think I will make this pattern again.  This time I made size 4.  I lengthened the bodice by 1" and the skirt by 3".  Next time, I wouldn't lengthen the bodice at all and instead lengthen the skirt by 4", since I do think the overall length is right on this one.  I might also consider grading to a size 5 at the waist, since if anything it's a bit roomy in the shoulders but the lower bodice sort of seems to highlight the outward flare at the bottom of my ribcage.