Hello friends! This little layering dress is the Lola pattern from Victory Patterns. It's a sweatshirt dress. Just let that sink in. That's right, genius, my friends! I made this pattern once before out of a grey double knit wool. I wear that version very regularly and really like it. It's the kind of thing that's warm and comfortable, but also has a polished and put-together vibe. So I wanted to make another one and thought this bouncy french terry, also from my Pendleton outting would be just the thing. You can tell I'm heading back to Portland next month and trying to clear out my fabrics from last time so I'll feel like it's appropriate for me to purchase more.

Isn't it so interesting how the same pattern made out of different fabrics can behave so differently? You can see there is a goodly bit of blousing in the back on this version, and that's after I already took out a bunch at both the back waist and both princess seams. But my wool version is from a very stable knit and this one is nice and bouncy and sproingy. I can also see the princess bust shaping being pulled down on this one by the weight of the dress, which does not occur on my first one. I did lower the bust shaping because I have a long torso, but it fits just right in the wool.

I suppose it's time to address the elephant in the room: pockets. I skipped the enormous glorious pockets on this pattern in exchange for an enormous cowl. And believe me, I thought about it a bunch before I did it. But I really wanted the cowl and I felt like it was such a great opportunity to use the reverse loopy side of the french terry. I modeled the cowl on one from a Gaia Conceptions sweatshirt I have that has an epic cowl. It's basically a large tube with the circumference matching the neckline at the bottom and gently funneling out like a horn about 20 or so inches later. Easier than sewing a band at the neckline. I just serged the edges of the cowl and the hem for a casual finish.

I really like this pattern, such a nice winter basic. Stay warm friends!