AHHHHHHH! I am so stupid excited, y’all! A pattern that I’ve had in the works since ::checks watch:: OCTOBER is finally here!!
In my defense, the pattern has been ready. We just had a super busy holiday season with patterns and freebies and the holidays in general. So we had to push the release of this back until January. Which is totally fine, because I think it was worth the wait! Wanna talk about the Harriet Holiday Dress?? ME TOO.
Okay so first and foremost, let’s talk about the pattern name.
I’ve named all of the patterns that I’ve released under the Patterns for Pirates brand after something West Virginia related. Sugar Maple Skirt = Our State Tree. Friendly City Sweater = Wheeling’s Nickname. Francis Flounce = The “Father of West Virginia”. Etc, etc, etc.
This pattern is named after an incredible woman in West Virginia’s history: Dr. Harriet B. Jones!
Dr. Harriet B. Jones was the first woman to be licensed as a physician in West Virginia. She was also one of the first women to be elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates. Dr. Jones also fiercely advocated for woman suffrage and for more than 30 years she was an enthusiastic supporter of the West Virginia suffrage movement. She was fierce, smart, and caring. My kind of woman.
Okay…so now about the pattern. Which is why I’m sure you’re here!
The Harriet Holiday Dress features a fitted bodice with a quarter circle skirt attached at the natural waistline. The bodice is fully lined, with a sweetheart or scoop neckline option. The pattern includes multiple skirt lengths (from mini to maxi) and allows you to choose from traditional, fitted sleeves or a more festive, bishop sleeve. Depending on your fabric choice, you can use the Harriet Holiday Dress for everyday wear, a special occasion, or something in between. We also snuck in an optional front slit for the above knee, tea and maxi length skirts, in the event you wanted to show a little extra thigh in your new dress!
Pattern options include:
- Two neckline options: Scoop + Sweetheart.
- A variety of sleeve choices: Fitted Short, Fitted 3/4, Fitted Long, 3/4 Bishop Sleeve + Long Bishop Sleeve.
- Multiple hem lengths: Mini, Above Knee, Tea + Maxi.
- Fully lined bodice.
- Optional front slit (for above knee, tea + maxi lengths).
You can read more and see the options on our incredible testers in this Harriet Holiday Dress Roundup Post if you’d like!
Here are the dresses that I made and photographed during testing. How about we go shortest to longest hem lengths? That sounds like fun!
First up is the fancy mini that I made: Mini Length / Long Bishop Sleeves / Sweetheart Neckline
The above knee version I made is the most casual of them all: Above Knee Length / Scoop Neckline / Short, Fitted Sleeves
If I had an office to go to, I’d be wearing this one ALL THE TIME this winter: Tea Length / Scoop Neckline / Long, Fitted Sleeves
And I’m not typically a fan of maxi length dresses but I’m obsessed with this one: Maxi Length / 3/4 Bishop Sleeve / Sweetheart Neckline
Did you have a favorite of all of those? Obviously mine is the sequin, mini number. I made and wore it for a Christmas party and got LOTS of compliments on it. And I also made a lot of people mad by telling them I would not be making it for them, ha. But it’s nice they asked!
Pattern: Harriet Holiday Dress by Patterns for Pirates
Fabric: Mini, Above Knee + Tea Length fabrics all from JoAnn Fabrics / Maxi Dress ribbed knit fabric from El Centenario Fabric
Katy, this pattern is another winner 🤩🤩🤩🤩 Loving the quarter circle skirt, and the neckline, and the sleeves. Just fantastic options!
You’re always the best cheerleader, Abbey! Thank you so much! I really love this dress pattern, I hope others do too!