Tracy Reese--Vogue 1224

I don't know if I am just slow to catch on or what, but jersey knit dresses are the way to go!  So comfy, so easy to wear--I'm in love with this Tracy Reese design for Vogue.

This one is not quite as cost effective as my Maggy London, but it's not bad at all.  Here we go:

Vogue pattern 1224:  $3.99 (on sale at Joanns)

Fabric :  $11.94

Elastic:  $1.25

Grand Total:  $17.18

I bought much more elastic than needed, and more fabric than needed, but used interfacing and thread that I had on hand.  Which means I can make a shirt for summer out of this fabric for free!

This dress was also super fast to put together.

Cutting fabric:  .5

Assembling: 1.5

Adding extra fabric which I then had to take off the bottom:  .5

Finishing:  .5 (including deciding on the shoes.  I really think I need some awesome wedge sandals to carry these colors through the summer)

Total:  3 hours--while watching The Social Network, which I don't really recommend.  But, like facebook, it's addicting.

Anyway, notes on this pattern:

• Very wide neckline--next time I may bring it up in front a bit--in juggling kids and whatnot the neckline was all over the place and exposing.
• I topstitched under the arm double the length marked on the pattern.  This didn't restrict movement or the sleeve shape at all--just made the armhole a bit more modest--like 2 inches more modest.

Sorry for the weird picture--I had to manipulate it so you could see.  The stitched line up the middle should have ended where the bulge on the black is--instead I extended it up further.  The stitching on the right is for the armhole.

• I love love love the sleeves and double topstitched hem which I did right at the edge!
• I lengthened the skirt by 5 inches, made the top, still thought it would be too short so cut double the casings (instead of just one for inside, one for outside too)  added the casings as a band and had to cut off 2 1/2 inches.  Awesome.  Anyway--this made it knee length on me.
• I omitted the lining of the skirt and the toggles.
• Even with the added casing, the waistline was too high.
• My size is technically 12 with vogue (14 at waist)  I cut an 8 (12 at waist)
• Next time:  Add 2 inches to top, 2 inches to bottom.  Raise neckline just a little.  

The back on my dress seems to be a little deeper than the pattern picture shows--but look how pretty the sleeves are!!

A couple more pictures:

Same topstitching extension and sleeve hem.  And random unattached thumb.

This shows the lower neckline better than the first picture--one wrong grab by my sons and it's a minor wardrobe malfunction!


Amber