Colette patterns and I almost never get along at first sight. I look at the twee pattern envelopes and I just see too many ruffles, too many ridiculous details, and I don't look further. Only later after I see the versions people have made do I realise that something streamlined can be achieved with a bit of tinkering.
This pattern went like that. I was buying something else online anyway and I suddenly realised that ridiculous fold over collar could be just hacked off. Plus what nice design lines! And pockets! I dove in.
First the good: This is an easy make. I went from a size 2 at the top to 4 at the waist (unnecessary actually, as it seems to have a lot of ease. I could have made a 2 all the way.) The pockets are cute and although I think the grey waist panel kind of interrupts the dress, there are lots of nice options for mixing and matching.
The bad: Ridiculous facings. WTF? It would be totally JUST AS EASY to fully line the bodice, including the waist panel. The insides are terrible. The instructions don't even suggest ways to finish the dress, which, well, I can figure it out if I want to but when I was a beginner, I couldn't. That makes me think this is not really a beginner friendly pattern despite being quite simple. I'm contrasting this to the True Bias Sutton which I've just made, where the instructions force you to make a beautiful finish.
Also I see Colette has a weird fondness for these humped waist panels that cup the breasts. See the Chantilly pattern...
I think it's kind of stupid looking at the intersection of the bodice and the waist panel, or at least badly aligned. The upper bodice seems too short, and the waist panel is quite loose AND is not really below my breasts. The result is to both make my chest look smaller and my waist look bigger. It would be better suited to someone with bigger boobs so that the actual difference between the chest and the empire waist is more obvious. Colette does draft for a C cup and I've noticed on other patterns that the boobs are usually too big on me.
I am happy enough with this as a muslin but I would make some changes if I seriously planned to repeat it: straight size 2. Lined bodice and lined waist, or even a full lining. I do quite like the neckline without the foldover collar, but I would have to lower that front waist piece somehow. I don't see myself repeating this any time soon.
This pattern went like that. I was buying something else online anyway and I suddenly realised that ridiculous fold over collar could be just hacked off. Plus what nice design lines! And pockets! I dove in.
First the good: This is an easy make. I went from a size 2 at the top to 4 at the waist (unnecessary actually, as it seems to have a lot of ease. I could have made a 2 all the way.) The pockets are cute and although I think the grey waist panel kind of interrupts the dress, there are lots of nice options for mixing and matching.
The bad: Ridiculous facings. WTF? It would be totally JUST AS EASY to fully line the bodice, including the waist panel. The insides are terrible. The instructions don't even suggest ways to finish the dress, which, well, I can figure it out if I want to but when I was a beginner, I couldn't. That makes me think this is not really a beginner friendly pattern despite being quite simple. I'm contrasting this to the True Bias Sutton which I've just made, where the instructions force you to make a beautiful finish.
Also I see Colette has a weird fondness for these humped waist panels that cup the breasts. See the Chantilly pattern...
I think it's kind of stupid looking at the intersection of the bodice and the waist panel, or at least badly aligned. The upper bodice seems too short, and the waist panel is quite loose AND is not really below my breasts. The result is to both make my chest look smaller and my waist look bigger. It would be better suited to someone with bigger boobs so that the actual difference between the chest and the empire waist is more obvious. Colette does draft for a C cup and I've noticed on other patterns that the boobs are usually too big on me.
I am happy enough with this as a muslin but I would make some changes if I seriously planned to repeat it: straight size 2. Lined bodice and lined waist, or even a full lining. I do quite like the neckline without the foldover collar, but I would have to lower that front waist piece somehow. I don't see myself repeating this any time soon.
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