Whenever I go op shopping, I always make an effort to look for sewing patterns. There’s a plethora of cheap 80s patterns (with questionable garments all of which look shapeless and way too big), loads of children’s patterns, some modern patterns and on the rare occasion, 50s patterns. I treasure any vintage pattern (not from the 80s) that I can find but sometimes, a modern pattern will catch my eye. That’s exactly how I found New Look 6508; it cost me $1 and I was excited to try something cute and modern.

New Look 6508 is a fun, functional and sweet little pattern with a wide range of variations designed to suit an array of personal styles. It’s a teen/misses dress with skirt length, sleeve and back variations. Dress skirt lengths can be either 20″, 24″, or 28″ long and can be made with or without sleeves. Back of dress has the option of being closed or a partial open back with an invisible zipper and buttons. All dress views can be made with side pockets. For my first make of this pattern, I will be making version D which includes the separate top and skirt pieces attached with front waist buttons and the back of the bodice being held together with buttons also. I plan on making no adjustments to the pattern and sewing it as it’s recommended.

When it came to choosing my fabric, I knew I wanted to shop my stash and to find something colourful. I decided on a light cotton fabric I purchased from Spotlight about 4 years ago which had a delightful checkered pattern adorned with tiny elephants. This fabric came from the XX collection by XX and is unfortunately no longer available. I did find this fabric which could be a good dupe. I only had two meters of this fabric which meant my original plan to sew the slightly longer skirt had to be changed to sewing the short skirt. Although I normally love a long skirt, I figured for a tropical holiday outfit, a short skirt would be super cute.

Sew, let’s get started. The pattern took a little bit of shuffling to make sure it fit on the two meters of fabric I had. I had to fold the fabric over itself to make everything fit and it was only once I cut everything out that I realised I didn’t need one of the pieces in my main fabric. For lining I just used a cheap nylon type lining which I kind of regretted as when worn in humid weather wasn’t the most pleasant but we will get to that later. I was really surprised by how quickly this garment came together. The top is fully lined which I loved and it was a great way to brush up on my button placard skills and making a uniquely designed bodice. I think the buttons on the back of the bodice are really cute and I just chose plain white buttons to sew on. I originally thought wooden buttons would be cute but I just didn’t have any on hand.

The skirt wasn’t too difficult to put together but I found the pleating instructions weren’t very clear. I’ve had loads of patterns which showed me the direction of the pleat to make sure it’s all even and this one didn’t have that. I think that would be a useful thing to add escpecially for beginner sewers. When putting my skirt with the waistband, I found the waistband was very short and had I known I would have added about 2 more inches for ease and a bit of an overlap to better hide the hook and eye. It’s worth noting that my instructions didn’t tell me where to add the zip to my skirt so I added it where and when I thought necessary so please keep that in mind when sewing this yourself.

I was so happy that this dress had pockets but I didn’t have enough fabric for two pockets so I only added one. Had I known that I didn’t need all the pieces cut with main fabric (they were just supposed to be interfacing), I might have been able to add the second pocket. This garment really came together quick and I was finished in a few hours. I finished off my new outfit by sewing on all the buttons and adding button holes using my machine and it’s 4-step button maker.

Fit: I’m going to begin by saying I goofed up with this dress. I was so excited to get packed for my honeymoon in the Maldives that it was only when I was putting on this garment that I realised that I forgot to sew in the final hook and eye closure which brings the waistband together. Bugger. I didn’t pack any sewing supplies so please just pretend that the waistband is complete and not gaping open and ruining any photos of the garments back.

Moving on to the overall fit of this garment. This sewing pattern is very small, I know it’s for teens but it felt a little too tight. I actually can’t wear it with my normal bra as the top squeezes my chest but with a bikini underneath and only being worn for a short amount of time, it was fine. I did find that the neckline was very high and uncomfortable. Fixing this issue will be a bit of a pain as the bodice is fully lined and enclosed but thats something to note next time. I would lower the neckline about two inches and will keep this in mind for next time.

Overall, this is a really cute garment. I like the options it has where you can wear it as a set or as separates. I think the fabric I chose for this garment was really cute and it was fun to wear on my honeymoon. I know my husband likes being able to see my knees for once with the shortness of the skirt. I found the pocket to be just big enough to carry my phone (no need for snacks when there’s food everywhere on the island) which was a plus.

New Look 6508 makes a super cute garment but I have to say, you may need help doing up the buttons yourself as when I tried to several times I either couldn’t stretch around that far or I pulled a muscle in my neck and arm but I am a little stiff and tight from travel. Despite this, for an actual teen, this would be a super cute outfit and the fabric options are limitless. I think I might make one of these for my niece or just give her mine if I run out of time to make all the adjustments (I will certainly sew on the hook and eye closure).

I don’t think I’d recommend this pattern to beginners as there are a few adjustments that need to be made. I think the instructions skipping steps such as zipper insertions and the high neck line may be a bit challenging for newbie sewers. This pattern would work best for those with strong sewing knowledge who can make adjustments where they go. The next time I make this pattern, I will add length to the waistband and change the neckline but apart from that, I think this is a cute and fun pattern. It was nice to try something different and modern.

Note: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions and thoughts expressed are solely my own and not influenced in any way. There are no affiliate links and I do not benefit from any link clicks or purchases made.