There are brands we love... and Deer and Doe is one of them. I had even put making a Cardamome dress on my 2020 resolutions wish list; now it's done!

So I present to you my Cardamome dresses, which are shirt dresses with a smocked waist. I like the classy little look they give with their pretty little collar and subtle details. Indeed, to personalize it, I like to add piping at the pockets and at the front neckline and back yoke.

This dress is offered in 2 versions by Deer and Doe:
- sleeveless
- with 3/4 sleeves

For my part, I prefer to make this dress for the summer season, so I sew it sleeveless. I simply add a pretty visible lurex bias to match my lurex neckline piping.

I made 3 versions each time in Japanese fabrics from Tokyo: 2 sleeveless dresses and one with 3/4 sleeves.

The Cardamome dress is available from 34 to 46 in printed pattern and from 34 to 52 in PDF pattern at the respective prices of 14 and 11 euros on the brand's website. 

For sizes, the dress can be sewn for measurements of:
- bust circumference from 80 to 123.5cm
- waist circumference from 60 to 96cm
- hip circumference from 86 to 148.5cm.

For the supplies, you will need for the version:
- with sleeves: 2.60-2.70m in 140cm width or between 3.1 and 3.4m depending on your size in 110cm width
- sleeveless: 2.30m in 140cm width or between 2.70 and 2.90m depending on your size in 110cm width.

Not forgetting a bit of interfacing for the collars, button placket, and cuffs; buttons and elastic thread.

Deer and Doe rates the pattern as 4/5 because it combines several difficulties.

I do think that a certain sewing experience is needed to make this dress.

If you are really a beginner it's better to start with a simpler dress; conversely if you are more experienced you will really enjoy making this pattern.

If we sum up the technical points you will need to complete the following technical steps:
- making the button placket
- assembling the front and back yokes with concave-convex curves
- assembling the neckline
- assembling collar with collar stand
- smocks
- making hems
- making buttonholes

To add for the version with sleeves:
- assembling sleeves
- making slits
- making sleeve cuffs
- making buttonholes.

To make the smocks, I use elastic bands that allow you to quickly make smocks.

Simply place the elastic band on the wrong side of your fabric and sew it with a zigzag stitch so as to keep the elastic side of the band.
For my part, I include 1 or 2 elastic threads in a zigzag stitch, depending on the desired effect (large or small zigzag) and I run a row of elastic threads between 2 rows of zigzag stitches.

For my latest version, the green dress, I didn't make buttonholes nor place buttons on the collar because I always wear it with the collar open.
I wonder if I might make a fourth one ;-)