The Popover Dress // My Second #stayhomeandsew Make

Back in March, Gretchen “Gertie” Hirsch tossed out the hashtag #stayhomeandsew to inspire people to stay in during the pandemic and make the most of the time indoors.

I’ve definitely been taking that challenge to heart. To date, I’ve made 157 masks and now two dresses (I made a kaftan too, but it’s not ready to wear yet). You can see my first dress here in all its zebra print glory.

This time I made the Popover Dress from Gertie Sews Jiffy Dresses in some adorable ice cream fabric that I picked up in the spring (thanks to Z Fabrics in Maine for always coming through with the best cotton prints).

Making this dress was one of my goals for July. I came a little late. I finished it the first weekend of August. Better late than never!

Making the Popover Dress

Right now, I’m all about comfort. Physical comfort, yes, but also making projects that are comfortable and not overly challenging. The Popover Dress fits the bill in both regards.

In terms of construction, the dress is one pattern piece. That’s it! (OK, plus another for the facing, but more on that later). It truly doesn’t get much better than that.

Sewing this dress is, as promised, jiffy. I made the dress in an evening and hemmed it the following morning.

A few words on the sizing here: SIZE DOWN! This dress is essentially a tent (in a good way). Go by your bust measurement and adjust the armhole openings as needed (I find Gertie’s armholes are often a bit tight).

Changes I Made to the Dress

I am turning into one of those people who cannot leave a perfectly good pattern or recipe alone—I always tweak it.

For the Popover, I omitted cutting out the armhole facings. Instead, I used single-fold bias tape as a facing. I like this method so much more. Plus, I like how you can add a little contrast with the color you choose.

I also ditched the patch pockets that are included with the pattern and added pockets along the side seam. This is a pretty easy addition. I just used a pocket pattern piece from another dress and added them in. Easy!

And while I really like the shoulder bows, I decided to keep this dress really simple. It’s already covered in ice cream cones—no need to gild the lily.

So How Does It Fit?

I love this dress and how it fits—especially for something so simple.

Essentially, this dress is a tent. Worn as-is, it’s the most comfortable housedress you’ve ever had.

Add a belt and it’s suddenly fit for everything from brunch with the gals to date night to a summer party (haha—those things don’t exist right now).

But really, this dress is perfect for quarantine times. It’s a great project to get your mind off the world, it’s super comfortable and cute enough to wear for your next Zoom meeting.