Black Forest Fancy

There's this little creek I've been desperate to explore but I couldn't find any path through the woods and down to the water other than ready-set-jump.  Finally a little foot trail turned up and I decided to wander around under the bridge,  among the rushing waters and all along the slate banks.  The weather has given me one of those delicious breaks from the cold when it's so warm that even the little frogs wake up and start serenading us morning to twilight.

Since I'm out here exploring nature and enjoying this temporary pseudo spring, it seemed like the best time to showcase my latest dress creation.  For this dress, I used the bodice from Butterick Retro Pattern B5748, but I did a simple gathered skirt with no pattern at all.  It's just to 25" rectangles of fabric, with lining of course, with a simple double gathering stitch and attached to this bodice.  This is my absolute favorite kind of dress.

I don't know why, but it seems as though every dress pattern I use is complicated in some way.  If the bodice is easy, the skirt is hard.  If the skirt is easy, the bodice is crazy complicated.  Why can't there be a pattern like this?  Easy top, Easy bottom.  It only took me a day or so to complete.  Though I do like to let the dress hang overnight before putting in the hem.  I don't really know if I need to do that, but I've been told it's important and not just seamstress superstition and it seems to have worked so far.

Shopping Info: Dear Stella Black Forest Fancy Animals Toffee Fabric, Forever 21 top from ThredUp and Cardigan and Flats from ModCloth