Today we are sharing a review of the Sew Classic dress by Ola Jane Patterns. Now, I know that there are a lot of peasant dresses out there, and you may even own one (or more) already, BUT out of all of the peasant dress patterns that I own, this is my favorite so far, and let me tell you why. Sandra is what I would consider an "old school" seamstress. Her patterns have shape; they are not simple rectangles, so they fit real bodies better than most similar patterns. Sandra includes finishing techniques in her patterns that are not very common to PDFs, and as a self taught seamstress, I appreciate that attention to detail and learning techniques that lead to a really nicely finished garment. You also can't beat the price- Ola Jane doesn't have sales...so no need to wait for one because they are always priced low! The Sew Classic is only $4.89 AND it comes with 2 FREE accessory patterns, the Big Bow and Ribbon Flower, perfect for dressing up your Sew Classic Peasant. With a size range of 6 months- 14, you will be using this pattern for years. We're giving away a 3 pack of patterns at the end of this post, so be sure to enter to win! Here's Raedene with our review, and 2 more versions by Kari and Rachel.

This is Raedene here from Chasing Mermaids and while it is still so hot down here in the south, I am secretly dreaming of fall: football, fires, pumpkins and fall clothing! One dress that never goes out of style is the peasant dress. It has classic lines and provides the perfect template to showcase embroidery for a special event or a fabric print you love. When I sewed up my fall version of the Sew Classic by Ola Jane, I decided to make it with the ¾ length sleeves option. The gathered sleeves look very classy and flattering on the older gals, and will be perfect when the weather cools just in time for back to school. I also like the gathered empire waist of this dress-- most a- line peasant dresses I've seen don't offer this option. I really wanted to accent this print with lace, so I cut fabric to use for the empire elastic casing and sewed the lace on first before attaching to the dress. My girl needs a size 8 for the top portion, but is shorter than 8 length, so I hemmed it to above the knee as the pattern describes as the desired length.

Overall, the fit is perfect and it looks classic for fall. This pattern is amazingly written with lots of photos and helpful sewing tips throughout. She provides directions for french seams that provides a finished dress on the inside as well. I added a monogram on the bottom corner of this dress to give it a personalized touch. Included in this pattern is a tutorial to make a fabric bow or flower to attach at the waist or as a hair accessory! I made the hair accessory to complete the outfit, but strayed a little from the pattern, using only the base because I had a button I really wanted to use. With a wide size range and 3 sleeve lengths and an accessory tutorial you can’t go wrong with this pattern.