I think I may have found my new favorite pattern... the Meghan Peasant from Sis Boom. It's basically the adult version of the Ella raglan blouses I made last week and it's awesome: comfortable, flattering neckline, amazingly clear directions. Now that I've sewn up the blouse version of it, I can't wait to try the dress version!
I made it from this Michael Miller Kaleidoscope fabric I bought when it was on sale... apparently it's part of a Christmas line, which makes sense when you see it with all of the other coordinating fabrics, but on its own it doesn't really seem all that Christmas-y to me. It's pretty summery, actually. Well, at least I hope so!
Regarding how I put the pattern together, I chose the lowest neckline option (there are 3), cut the bottom to be 15" long, and I skipped the arm elastic (too pinchy on my guns). I probably should have paid a little closer attention to the placement of the large print of the fabric when cutting out the top, but it's not the end of the world.