This is my second pattern of my 2021 make 9! I feel like lockdown has really affected my sewing pace- which I originally thought was a bad thing, but has proved that more time planning while I wait for supplies to arrive etc has really allowed me to think things through and give me time to better plan projects.
When my fabric arrived my pattern was traced, I'd perused the instructions, I'd assembled the mini version of the dress inculded in the pattern so I could envision the twist. I opted for the high back version as I thought fitting would be easier (no sliding shoulders!) and it would be wearable for more occasions. The feeling of being prepared is SO blissful! I hadn't made a toile of this pattern due to my stash being short on stretch fabrics, but I'd ordered enough of this burgundy rib knit to cut out more than one attempt if I needed.
Being so prepared gave me the freedom to be a bit more playful and less time conscoius when making adjustments. The main pattern change I made was adjusting the shoulders. The big issue from start to finish was that the fabric is SO stretchy, the front twist really weighed down the centre front. I took quite a wedge out of the front shoulders (leaving the back piece untouched) and reshaped the front armhole. I reinforced the shoulder seams with a strip of interfacting to stop them from stretchig out of shape too. Next time I will definitely shorten the bodice along the shorten/lengthen line on the pattern, but by how much is going to be really dependant on how stretchy my next fabric choice is.
Once I was as happy as I could be with the shoulders I moved to shaping the the centre back seam. This was super satisfying - just pinning down the centreback seam, pinching in around my lower back to accentuate the curve. After pinning I chose to close up the back vent as the stretch made it quite unnecessary, and I was quite keen in my knee poking out of the front slit instead. For sturdier stretch fabrics I think the vent will look really class so looking forward to having a go at it next time.
The pattern is designed with 1cm seam allowance, which I mainly followed, but changed to 1.5cm on the sleeve seams, tapering to about 3cm at the top. I matched this at the top of the side seams, grading back out to the waist. The wonders of stretch fabrics eh!
I added a few extra stitches to the waist seam eiter side of the twist as there was a tiny flesh-flashing gap on one side! I then stitched two short sections along the centre front above and below the twist to keep myself from flashing anything else! This seam gets engulfed by the twist leaving the front section still really fluid.
I was vey lax when it came to hemming. I'll admit I was terrified that running the rib fabric through the machine would stretch out the sleeves, even using the plastic presser foot and a stretch stitch. The pattern suggests leaving the front neck unhemmed as it just kind of rolls under itself, so I just adopted this idea and left the sleeves and bottom unhemmed.
The moment I tried this dress on (even before I'd put the sleeves in) I knew I was totally in love with it. The fit, the length, the colour, the leg and the neckline!!!! They all looked so film noir but still also really modern. Making it was realtively easy, with the biggest challenge probably being my choice of fabric - so stretchy in all directions!! This dress will definitely be my go-to with the nect stretch fabric I fall in love with
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Location: Domo, Little Kelham
Currently listening to: Ant Music, Adam and The Ants
