This is my second iteration of my current summer dress pattern (S1080, but seriously redrafted). I've had this cotton lawn from Robert Kaufman in my bin for a couple of years, having received it as a birthday gift right about the time I no longer had a dress pattern I liked.
So I prewashed it and waited for the right pattern to present itself.
(I have a length of rayon from the same birthday that is also waiting).
After the relative success of my Bluebird dress refashion, I decided to have a
go at this fabric.
I made a few changes to the pattern based on my fiddling with it last autumn,
plus my experience with the linen skirts I made recently for sweep and
fall. (Incidentally, that green linen dress did not survive the fall,
as it washed and wore badly, and the back elastic proved uncomfortable
over time, as well as distorting the fabric at the side seams. I considered trying that iteration with this fabric, but
ultimately decided to go with this version instead as I thought it would wear better).
I cut 1/2" off the sleeve edges to start
with, and did a baby hem instead of using bias. I also narrowed the
front skirt in a wedge from the bottom to match the sweep of my
redrafted Rose skirt pattern, and did the same for the back skirt (which
is just slightly wider than the front).
I also made the whole thing significantly
shorter and put in a 1" hem. The waist casing seems to work best about
5" below the underarm curve, and I made a 1" finished casing, plus a
1/2" tie, both with 2" wide strips of fabric.
I'd like to figure out how to add inseam pockets without messing with
the skirt flow, but that is a project for another day, as the current
pattern is very quick to sew up.
I've worn it twice now, and it is fine. Not super-fantastic, but fine for summer, and an okay-change from my separates. The print seems grown up enough for me, and the silhouette good enough. The lawn is lovely and cool, and it doesn't bind around the middle, so there's that. #horseshoesandhandgrenades
It looks lovely on you - and that fabric is gorgeous. I have not been brave enough to alter sewing patterns before. Maybe I will one day!
ReplyDeleteIt took me a long time to get over the mental block too, but once you do, it really opens up a lot of different possibilities! Drafting is sometimes time consuming, but when you get it right, so worth it! Start with something small to change, like changing darts to pleats or changing the sweep of a skirt or something not about fitting per se, but about the finished style.
DeleteOh my word GORGEOUS! I love the fit of this dress + the pattern. I realize that I always like what you make but I also feel like you keep making more and more lovely garments 💗
ReplyDeleteThanks friend! I should have you pet the fabric sometime--it is really silky, even though it is cotton.
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