How long did it all take?

I've been asked "how long did this take?"

i didn't really time it per say but i'll try and lay it out as best i can.

material prep (setting dye, washing, drying, ironing)- 5 hours
pattern prep (cutting out and ironing the pattern pieces) - 2 hours
actually sewing (putting pieces together, basting, sewing, pressing seams) - 16-20 hours
finishing (hemming, trimming excess, making belt and loops) - 2 hours
learning what all the words meant and what the heck i'm doing - 40 hours!

total hours (more or less) - 65-69 hours

"my god" you think, "i can't do that for a single dress." First off the learning curve was huge, every time i encountered a new snag it was at least an hour of reading to figure it out plus practice on scraps.

the material and pattern prep for the 2nd dress is already started. many of the same pieces are already cut out and there was only two small news ones to iron once cut out. the material prep i did one day as i was sewing. the finishing was hard to do by myself, hemming really needs a second person and making belt loops by weaving the first time was slow going until i figured out the motion.

the sewing was also long because i was learning to use my machine and working on a huge project with really specific instructions.

I honestly think the second dress i will have total time down to under 20 hours.
is it worth it?
YES!!
1) i can make any style of dress i like,
2) in any material
3) and it fits me like it was made for me.
i've shopped so often for this style of dress only to get frustrated when i can't zip it over my bottom but the top fits right.
4) the cost is pretty low, material was only $40 bucks and i'm heading to a country (New Zealand) where stuff costs way more to buy so if i can sew dresses or shirts rather than pay i will.