Patterns for Pirates is releasing a new pattern today.  And it’s pretty sweet.  (I totally went there.)

**Before I get down to it, I’d like to add that I took these photos when I had just come down with strep throat.  And I was practically dying.  (cue the dramatic music)  I had just enough energy to smile with the camera snapped a photo and definitely couldn’t venture past my front door and my dining room wall for photos.  So try and not judge my photography and modeling too harshly.

Whew.  Anyway.  The pattern is called the Sweetheart Dress + Peplum and it’s all sorts of awesome.  JUST WAIT until you see all of the testers.  This round of testing blew me out of the water.  Seriously.  I practically wanted every single version that was sewn by these awesome women.

Like always, the options are endless.  So I obviously had to make myself two versions from the same pattern, just to see how I felt about all of them.  My first was a dress with a color blocked bodice, long sleeved, and a mini skirt.  I didn’t mean to cut the mini length…because apparently I don’t know how to use a ruler.  Math is hard, guys.  But honestly, I’m not mad.  With a slip under my dress, the length is still really flattering on me.

And the colorblocking is to die for.  I love how the sweetheart curve is on this!  Squee!

I’m also a big fan of the circle skirt.  I am not the best at gathering for sewing.  I can do it, I just struggle to get it even all the time…and sometimes I just want to give up because I can’t get it “just right”.  So the circle skirt is totally my jam.  It makes sewing this dress incredibly fast and easy.  And I find it to be flattering, especially since a circle skirt sits flatter on my waist.  I don’t feel the need to belt this, like I do with most gathered things.

Plus, how flirty and fun is a full circle skirt?  I mean.

The second Sweetheart I stitched up was in a peplum form.  There was a lot of discussion with Judy before we even put this into testing.  I haven’t always felt that peplums work on my body type.  I’ve sewn five or so for myself and never wear any of them because I feel like they hit me at the wrong place.

But this?  This I can get behind.  Although Judy is like 23098402398 times more of a bombshell than me, she still has an hourglass figure.  And drafts as such.  So she “gets” my body type…which is why I fell in love with P4P.  You have to shop for pattern designers like you would anything else.  Finding the person who drafts for your body type is only going to work to your benefit.

I was sooooooo close to having a pretty plain top.  But I couldn’t bring myself to it, so I appliquéd a big ole’ heart onto the front, using the reverse side of the main fabric.  I think it turned out pretty cute!

And finally, I’m not anti-peplum anymore.  In fact, I’ve been waiting to be fully on the mend so I can make another.  Because Momma can never have too many me-made clothes in her closet!

One of my favorite things about sewing is that you really can never stop learning.  The Sweetheart Dress + Peplum pattern lays out a different style of neckbands than it’s had in other patterns.  I didn’t have any FOE on hand (which is what’s recommended for this pattern) so I ended up binding all of my hems.  I think it gives these tops such a professional and clean finish.

And of course, the info you’ve been waiting for:

Sweetheart Dress + Peplum HERE
Patterns for PIrates Website HERE
Patterns for PIrates Facebook Group HERE

Dress : Red/black fukuro JoAnn, Black Mesh JoAnn | Peplum Shirt: Denim Jegging Girl Charlee