Today I attended the Sew Melbourne Garden Party, held at the beautiful Studley Park Boathouse in Kew. This year’s event had a slightly different feel—instead of the usual picnic in the botanical gardens, we were treated to catering and even had access to a bar, which, in my opinion, was a wonderful touch.

The day began with birthday drinks and cake with Nicole and friends, which was such a lovely way to ease into the festivities. From there, we made our way to the event, and it was an absolute joy to see so many familiar faces alongside plenty of new ones. As always, the frocks were nothing short of fabulous—there’s something so special about being surrounded by people who truly understand the magic of a handmade wardrobe.

For the occasion, I chose to make the Ella dress by Silver Saga Patterns, a new-to-me company, and I couldn’t be more pleased with how it turned out. I used Flower Crown Liberty Tana Lawn from the Spring/Summer 2026 Floral Rebellion collection and made a size 38/10 based on my current measurements. The only adjustment I made was to lengthen the bodice by 2.5cm, which is fairly standard for me.

I’ll admit, I had a brief moment of uncertainty while reading through the instructions, wondering how it was all going to come together—but as I worked through each step, everything fell beautifully into place. It’s always such a satisfying experience when a pattern reveals its logic like that.

The finished dress feels incredibly elegant. The low neckline is just a little bit scandalous (in the best possible way), and the A-line skirt has a lovely movement to it, catching the breeze in a way that feels both effortless and romantic. I truly love how it turned out.

All in all, it was a gorgeous day—filled with friendship, creativity, and beautiful clothes. Exactly the kind of day that reminds me why I love sewing so much.

Photos taken by Bruce at St Mary’s Church.