I find it funny that all designers are making similar patterns at the same time. This season it's maxi dresses with the same kind of bodice band...I've seen and made a few!
I made size C, which is my usual size in Elbe Textiles.
I also paid attention to 2 facts: this is sized for a person 5'7" tall, AND the creative muse behind Elbe textiles is all about shapeless sacks. Thus, I removed 4 inches from this pattern: 1 at the bodice, 2 below the bodice, and 1 from near the hem. That seems to have been about right.
The fabric is Dolce & Gabbana copycat fabric. It's poplin weight cotton. I actually have the D&G original and it's an interesting comparison in terms of quality, both the design print and the fabric are obviously nicer coming from the designer (and the price tag matches, whoa, expensive fabric!) I did NOT jump to make a new pattern out of the fanciest of fabrics, though I was a wee bit tempted. The lighter weight, lawn-like feel of the D&G fabric would have given the dress a bit better movement, but the side slits do that anyway.
The instructions are overly wordy, but I suppose too many words better than too few. Also, it follows a recent trend which irritates me no end: instead of just saying: French the seams - it builds that into the instructions. I much prefer the instructions to suggest that you french the seams, and add a little side note on how to do so, for those who need it. This is naturally because lately I'm not going to. My overlocker wins!
I dragged this out over a few days in between other things - I'm trying to binge sew through a huge project pile before the new year, in the hopes that if I can clean up my queue, I might stop piling up projects to do...I think I'm much happier if I can spontaneously sew a thing, the end. And I want more time for knitting.
I really enjoyed how you do the hems quite early on, so once you've finished the bodice band, you're done! It's an easy sew. However, I made one huge blooper - I assumed I'd need to shorten the straps by a lot. I tried the dress on, and shortened them accordingly. I noticed that they seemed to be shorter when I gathered the dress, trying to picture what the elastic would do...
I'm not entirely sure why, but once the elastic is in, the straps seem much shorter. I guess you lose 1.5 cm when you sew them in. So in the end my straps are way too short and I had cut the ends off before I figured this out. There's no going back (at least not very easily)! The bust darts are about 2 inches too high. I also noticed the right side is worse.
The good news - I don't think anyone but me will notice. But I have to wear the dress around to get a sense for how much *I* will notice. If I dug the end out of the seam allowance the most I gain is a cm, but it might be worth it.
Anyway, I love the pockets and overall this was a great fun sew. I'm really pleased that I found something to do with my lemon fabric.
I made size C, which is my usual size in Elbe Textiles.
I also paid attention to 2 facts: this is sized for a person 5'7" tall, AND the creative muse behind Elbe textiles is all about shapeless sacks. Thus, I removed 4 inches from this pattern: 1 at the bodice, 2 below the bodice, and 1 from near the hem. That seems to have been about right.
The fabric is Dolce & Gabbana copycat fabric. It's poplin weight cotton. I actually have the D&G original and it's an interesting comparison in terms of quality, both the design print and the fabric are obviously nicer coming from the designer (and the price tag matches, whoa, expensive fabric!) I did NOT jump to make a new pattern out of the fanciest of fabrics, though I was a wee bit tempted. The lighter weight, lawn-like feel of the D&G fabric would have given the dress a bit better movement, but the side slits do that anyway.
The instructions are overly wordy, but I suppose too many words better than too few. Also, it follows a recent trend which irritates me no end: instead of just saying: French the seams - it builds that into the instructions. I much prefer the instructions to suggest that you french the seams, and add a little side note on how to do so, for those who need it. This is naturally because lately I'm not going to. My overlocker wins!
I dragged this out over a few days in between other things - I'm trying to binge sew through a huge project pile before the new year, in the hopes that if I can clean up my queue, I might stop piling up projects to do...I think I'm much happier if I can spontaneously sew a thing, the end. And I want more time for knitting.
I really enjoyed how you do the hems quite early on, so once you've finished the bodice band, you're done! It's an easy sew. However, I made one huge blooper - I assumed I'd need to shorten the straps by a lot. I tried the dress on, and shortened them accordingly. I noticed that they seemed to be shorter when I gathered the dress, trying to picture what the elastic would do...
I'm not entirely sure why, but once the elastic is in, the straps seem much shorter. I guess you lose 1.5 cm when you sew them in. So in the end my straps are way too short and I had cut the ends off before I figured this out. There's no going back (at least not very easily)! The bust darts are about 2 inches too high. I also noticed the right side is worse.
The good news - I don't think anyone but me will notice. But I have to wear the dress around to get a sense for how much *I* will notice. If I dug the end out of the seam allowance the most I gain is a cm, but it might be worth it.
Anyway, I love the pockets and overall this was a great fun sew. I'm really pleased that I found something to do with my lemon fabric.
I'm so happy I found this review!. I made this dress today from some fabric I had around, wearable muslin as they say. Everything you wrote is exactly what I encountered, everything! I'm not so sure anymore about using my pink and white striped linen on this anymore. That would be an expensive sack. lol
ReplyDeleteI am debating making it out of something really light and drapy like voile and then not shortening the straps at all...but yeah it is surprisingly sacklike!
DeleteCan I ask a really daft question please... I started to make my first maxi dress yesterday. When doing the pockets which side do you understitch on? i.e. do you iron the allowance towards the front of the dress or towards the pocket? I've over thought it and confused the living daylights out of myself...
ReplyDeleteiron the allowance towards the pocket and understitch, then after folding it into place and ironing you can topstitch the lot down. Enjoy!
DeleteI have a "daft" question about the pockets too! I'm at the end of Step 3 and I don't understand what to do! If I "flip the pocket" so wrong sides are together, then I cover up the pocket cut out on the bodice. But it suddenly appears in the next diagram! I'm so confused!
ReplyDeleteI figured it out! I had to (sort of) turn the corner inside out. Voila!
DeleteNice job figuring it out! I recall it's a bit like lining up all the edges of a welt pocket, one of those things that makes more sense once you have done it rather than while reading the instructions... enjoy the dress!
DeleteIngrid, a million thank you's for this comment!
ReplyDeleteI had the exact same issue and spent more than one hour playing around (read: going crazy), until I finally found your "sort of turn the corner inside out" tip!