The other day I was working from home and sitting next to a box of stash fabric. During my lunch I started half-heartedly looking through it and came upon a cranberry-red wool-like fabric (I’m not sure what the actual content is, as I got it for free somewhere, but it was heavyweight and felt like it might be in the wool family). I knew immediately what I wanted to do with it, and it was a project I’ve wanted to tackle for a while: a By Hand London Elisalex Dress!

After work ended for the day, I immediately printed out the pattern, taped it together and got the bodice cut. I made quick work of the main fabric for the bodice, and had it fully put together before I had to head to bed for the night.

Even with just the bodice done, I was pretty excited about this project. Though I know the holidays are going to be more low-key this year, I knew I had the perfect Christmas dress on my hands here. The color is beautiful and the style of the dress is a classic.

To top all of that off, it’s a super quick and easy sew, with straightforward directions. I was able to get it done from start to finish in just a few short hours (spread over a couple of days). The only somewhat challenging part would be the invisible zipper, but I have had years of practice with those and I think I have finally perfected my method (so don’t feel discouraged if you’re struggling with them – it took YEARS to get the strategy just right!).

The end result? Something I am going to wear to holiday celebrations for years to come!

Making this classic, solid colored dress was a fun departure from my usual “give me all the prints you have” approach to sewing. Sometimes it’s good to take a step back and just make a basic piece for your wardrobe.