I love fall and winter more than anything. I think there's something magical about the leaves changing and I get super excited on the first day I can see my breath in the air. I have a tradition of getting peppermint mocha's on the first snow of the season and there is nothing that I love more than bundling up to stay warm.
But you know what I'm not a fan of? Daylight Savings Time. I don't know if I minded it as much in Colorado, but good lord - the lack of light in the Pacific Northwest this time of year is just brutal. It should not be dark out at 4:30 in the afternoon. It's just not right. So of course, I'm overcompensating with insane amounts of knitting, lots of plaid, and Christmas decoration planning. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...
Anyhow, I've had some this plaid flannel sitting in my stash for at least a year now, just waiting for a pattern to call its name. I was intrigued by the Fen Dress when Fancy Tiger Crafts first released the pattern, but I wasn't sure it would look flattering on me. But when I say Amber's "Fen-dleton" dress, I knew I needed one. Is there anything that screams Fall! more than a cozy, plaid dress?
Now that it's all said and done, I'm still not sure this dress is all that flattering on me. But then again, I'm not sure I care. It's incredibly comfortable and the details in the gathering and darts make it look a little less sack-like. That said, I usually prefer a dress that's a little more fitted through the chest if it's going to have minimal shape through my waist.
I only made one tiny alteration to this version, otherwise it's sewn just as the pattern calls for. I have a higher waist, so I graded down two sizes for the center front waist seam. For my next Fen, I think I'll probably size down in the total bodice for a little bit more of a fitted look.
But seriously, if you've been on the fence about Fen, just do it. You'll thank yourself later. Just add some tights and boots and you've got yourself the perfect cold weather uniform.
