Risotto, and 'Kate's Dress' in corduroy

I'm writing this post while cooking mushroom and pea risotto. Must remember to keep stirring in between typing and uploading pictures... 

I recently bought my first digital pattern, Kate's Dress by Lily Bird Studio. I had seen some beautifully soft orangey-red  fine-wale corduroy in Darn Cheap Fabrics and was looking for an excuse to buy some. For the lining and the piping trim on the yoke I used some fabric I had left over from when I made bias binding for R's Sunday Brunch Jacket a month or so ago. I've also used the same material for a hat (the free Oliver + S bucket hat pattern), so I hope R likes it! 

I'm not the most adventurous or experienced sewer, which is why I have, so far, stuck mostly with Oliver + S patterns (which have reliably clear instructions and plenty of online advice available) or simple things like skirts that I can draft myself. But the Lily Bird dress came together beautifully, and the downloadable pattern was packed with photos detailing every step of the process. The only change I made was adding a lining to the ruffle sleeves because I didn't like the idea of seeing the underside of the corduroy. And - most satisfyingly - I was able to use the fabric-covered buttons (in that same lining fabric again!) that I had made for the Sunday Brunch Jacket but decided against using.

The dress is a little wide in the chest (R is very skinny) and I probably should have checked the measurements before I made it... but it looks nice now and in a year or so it will fit her even better, albeit as a rather short dress. I like the simplicity of the style, the simple but effective yoke detail and the fact that it looks great with a long-sleeved top under. If I make the dress as a winter dress again I will line the entire thing instead of just the bodice to make it that little bit warmer. 

Risotto is ready now, and only a tiny bit stuck to the bottom of the saucepan. Now I'll let it sit for a while as I put R to bed, then Mr thirtynine and I will eat it with a salad. I heartily recommend Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian cookbook, where this recipe comes from. So many of my favourite meals come from this huge book, which has no pictures but is full of fantastic dishes. 

Yum!