Hi Chris! So nice to see you here!

I'm sorry to say, though, that I am not a fan of this pattern at all -- except as a teaching tool. I thought you'd made dresses from scratch before? If not, then this is a good a pattern to get started with. Once you get the basic technique, you can use what you've learned to graft other patterns together to get a more sophisticated look. I just think the dresses as shown on the envelope scream "home made." Make sure you stone the heck out of whatever you make -- I've found that more stones make pretty much any dress look better. When I started I'd put about 10 gross on per dress, now I can't see doing less than 40 gross!

Hi Laura,
I think you have really managed to hit the nail on the head. I actually bought the pattern specifically as a teaching tool, as I have still never made a dress. I have so far, managed to to get away with buying something and then adapting it. But now as I would like something specific, I will have to make it from scratch.

FIngers crossed.

first of all, i am new to the site and to latin dance... after spending hours surfing the i-net for a basic pattern and/or guide book for dress construction, i think i have found my answer!!! i have to wing it! unless anyone has suggestions? i am an experienced seamstress (which is what drew me into the world of dance actually) so im really not worried about constructing my own patterns, but i have not tackled the interesting design elements i see in many of the skirts and dresses... any ideas out there?