Just when it seemed like Spring was in the air, we got a few inches of snow and the temperatures for the coming week are going to be way below normal, again. So though I was thinking of Spring when I started working on this dress, it will definitely be sitting in the closet for a while.
Ultimately, I'm happy with my final dress, but I don't love this pattern. My usual problem with sewing with wovens and commercial patterns is that the sizing is tough. Knits are so much more forgiving and jive better with my type B sewist personality.
In an attempt to follow the rules, I took my measurements and cut a size 12. Now I'll tell you that when I buy clothes in the store, I'm usually just about the smallest size you can get. So, cutting a 12 seemed odd, but that's what my measurements dictated. Well, my first dress came out gigantic! It felt like a lab coat, which is kind of fun since I work in a lab. Maybe I'll add the buttons and feel extra fancy at work.
This dress was my inspiration and I was pretty bummed that my first dress didn't work out. And, the fabric wasn't cheap. I might have to try to re-cut it and....make it work!
I went back to my pattern and this time cut a size 6. This is definitely the size I need, though I'll tell you there's no way my waist is 23 inches!
Though the size 6 did end up being the right size, I still had to make some adjustments. The armholes and the neck were so teeny tiny and I ended up making them bigger. In retrospect, I should have also used a bigger sleeve, so the dress is a tiny bit tight in the armpit region.
The other changes I made were to eliminate the lower pockets, make flap pockets for the top (used THIS tutorial), and I added a little button tab to the sleeves.
So, to summarize:
PATTERN: Simplicity 2246
FABRIC: lightweight cotton chambray
SIZE: 6
RESULT: I'm happy with the dress,
but probably won't make it again.
I hear you. I usually make the smallest available size for woven patterns and then take it in 4 inches. Even though I should always be making a 12 also. I'm not really sure why this is such a problem. I think it's the worst with Simplicity. I made the smallest size of a Vogue pattern and it definitely fit like an XS. Good for you for going through the extra steps to make this work though - it was worth it! You'll get so much use out of a nice chambray shirt dress.
ReplyDeleteI love your finished dress, it looks fantastic!! I think pattern sizing is the most frustrating thing, no wonder lots of people give up on sewing. My measurements with simplicity usually put me as a 12 too, but that turns out huge, so I usually start with a 10. I'm a size 4 in most store bought stuff though and I really hate just having to guess!
ReplyDeleteGood to know! And your dress looks great. Why on earth is there such a discrepancy with the pattern sizing. Very weird.
ReplyDeleteYou are a speedy sewist! I can't believe you whipped that up so quickly - AND a muslin! Way to go! Looks great!
ReplyDeleteLovely dress, look nice on you. I know how it's like to have a pattern that's so difficult to get it right, simply frustrating, but you made a good twist to it!
ReplyDeleteYour dress is gorgeous! I just picked this pattern up and looking at the line drawing, I'm planning on adding darts to the back to make it more fitted. I hope it works, hehe.
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