The latest issue of Fibre Mood has arrived and it’s an absolute cracker! I got my issue last week (I’m a subscriber and always seem to get it at least half a week before the official release!) but I also was a gifted a pdf pattern early as part of the link party they host for each issue!

It’s the first time I’ve joined in on the link party – normally I’m not bothered about getting a pattern earlier as I know I’m getting the magazine anyway. (I don’t really consider it a “freebie” as such since I pay for the subscription though I guess it is?). But this issue, I fell in love with one pattern that I just couldn’t wait to get hold of it!

And that was the Elma dress! A button front, square neckline, puffed sleeved minidress – what’s not to love? It had a real 80s vibe going on which I was totally feeling!

It’s a princess seamed semi fitted dress with a square neck on the back and a squared, slightly sweetheart neckline on the front. The short puffed sleeve has elastic inserted towards the hem to create a fun frill.

But as much as I thought the pattern was awesome, I thought I would whack on a couple of hacks to improve it!

I firstly decided I wanted a long version! I added 30cm to the end of each pattern piece, continuing the seam lines down. I added waist ties between the side and centre back pieces in the same way as the Shelby dresses I’ve made before.

I used a different insertion for the sleeve elastic. Instead of sewing the elastic directly to the sleeve, I created a casing and threaded the elastic through. I chose to do this because I only had 2cm wide elastic to hand and I don’t think it would’ve created the same effect that the recommended 0.5cm elastic would have.

I used a lovely pink viscose fabric from Sew Me Sunshine for this make. I loved the terrazzo print but I was a bit unsure about this shade of pink on me when it arrived! That’s the downside of buying online as I don’t think I’d have bought it if I’d been shopping IRL. That being said, I do love how the dress turned out!(This make also completes my use of all my lockdown Sew Me Sunshine purchases! It makes me feel totally justified in buying them! 😂)

There’s an option to add elastic into the shoulder strap facing to help keep them in place. I chose not to do this (I just didn’t think it would be effective enough for me!) and added a bra clip to the shoulder seam instead!

This involved hand sewing in a little loop of fabric and some press studs to each side like this!

It ended up being less 80s and more boho mostly due to the drape and length of the dress. I think it’s very Disney princess pre-makeover – like in a “I feel like I should be carrying a basket full of flowers through an enchanted wood kind of thing”… Oddly specific but that’s how it makes me feel! 😂