Where does time go?

I have been immersed in my very first sewing project in over 20 years. A wonderful summer halter dress Advance 6435.

I bought some great fabric for $2.00 at our local thrift store and thought it would be a not too expensive way to try my hand at sewing again.

I am also using my new sewing machine for the first time so there are quite a few firsts here. I don't know why I did not photograph the dress in construction, but I didn't. Maybe I am shy at my beginner techniques. I only had a small clue as to what I was doing. It did not help that the pattern I chose for my first attempt at a dress is unprinted. All I had were small holes to tell me what to do. Here is my pooch Pabu cheering me on as I cut out the pieces. I also did not have exactly the correct amount of fabric to lay it out as indicated on the pattern so I fudged it. There was a lot of fudging going on, but somehow I have almost completed it.

Fudge #2:
When it came to the peter pan collar, no matter how I looked at the directions I could not figure out what they wanted me to do. SO I made it up.

Fudge #3:
When the bodice was finished, the bust was too large. Come on people 34" and it is still too big! So I cut the side seams and resewed them. How I wish I had a dress form. It is Christmas yet?

Fudge #4:
Because I made the bodice smaller, the lower part of the dress no longer matched up. So I put in a slight gather in the stomach area to accommodate the extra fabric.

All of this with very little sewing know how. I am pretty proud of myself. I still need to put the zipper in (totally scared about doing this). I think I may have put one in years ago. But for the moment I do not have the proper size or color in my vintage stash, so that will have to wait. The pocket seems a bit askew too so that will need to be redone as well.

Will get pictures up soon.