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.
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| 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:
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| Same topstitching extension and sleeve hem. And random unattached thumb. |
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| This shows the lower neckline better than the first picture--one wrong grab by my sons and it's a minor wardrobe malfunction! Amber |
