Every year when it gets really hot I wish I had more dresses. Dresses just seem so perfect for hot weather. They are easy to wear and a little breezier than a skirt and top. I love the way a dress and a pair of matching shoes always makes an outfit. If it happens to cool off you can always throw on a cute cardigan and still look all put together.

So, every year when it gets really hot I wish I had more dresses and I say to myself, "I should really make some but I'll never get them done in time for this year. I'll do it next spring before the hot weather arrives." And then I forget until it gets really hot again.

This year I have a plan!

This year every month from September to June I am going to make myself a new dress. My goal is for summer dresses but I might throw in a fall/spring dress if I fall in love with a pattern that's not quite summer

I received the fabric for my first dress in the mail today. This is Mauvey in Liberty of London's Tana Lawn. I ordered it from The Workroom in Toronto and it is even prettier in person than it is in the photos. I thought the ground colour was white but it is actually a pale greenish tone that gives the print a lovely warmth.

The pattern I'm planning to use is an old one I got from my mum years ago: Butterick 3660 "Misses' Dress & Skirt" (you can see what the picture should be here). As far as I know Mum made this up when she was in university. She said it was good for dancing because the skirt was so swingy and it would flash the ruffle on the slip when you spun around. I remember her making me a child size version of the skirt when I was about eight; it was a favourite. I'm only planning on making the slip right now but it might be fun to try the skirt later - maybe in a grey or mauve broadcloth. I'm going to have to size up the pattern a bit - Mum at twenty was smaller than me at thirty - but it doesn't involve sleeves so I think as long as I take the time to fit a muslin properly I'll be fine.

By the way we got our first snow this morning, just before lunchtime. It didn't stick, of course, but it was still snow. It makes me laugh that on the very same day I'm all excited about making a new sundress. Maybe I'll be brave (crazy?) enough to take my pictures of it outside when I'm finished sewing.