I was in love with this pattern when it came out! I didn't have any inspiring fabric until now and my main focus was on the dress though I do love my knit tops.
In order to prepare, I made two tops - the long one and the cropped version, mainly to check sizing.
My long top was for a friend so I left it long, I did the low back option with the tie. I used a size 2 though my measurements were between 2 and 4. My friend is a little smaller.
I think it's impossible to turn a closed ended tie right side out so I cut the end off and left it open.
Instructions otherwise just fine - I found the bindings too loose, but once the top was on they laid flat. Also the top seemed HUGE! But it's because of the very low back which is kind of floppy when it's just sitting there. I really liked having 1/4" SA, it's nice not having too long edges to cut off, though now I have my own overlocker everything goes faster.
The second top is upcycled from a dress. It's short all right and that's without hemming, because I cut the back on the original hem of the skirt to avoid hemming it, so it's about an inch longer than the cropped version should be. I'm happy with the size 2, and I prefer the low back, which does not show bra straps but is still nice and low.
For the dress I stuck with the size 2, the lowest back, and open ended ties. I made a swayback adjustment for the dress, cutting out a wedge to 1" at centre back. It felt really weird to be doing this! I kept comparing my pattern pieces to an old Skater Dress I still have to make sure I wasn't doing anything too odd.
I didn't use the pockets. In a knit skater dress I think the chance that they pull the fabric down is too high. I just drew a straight line that cut them away. I also shortened the neckline binding by 4 cm, and I shortened the skirt by 6", 4 at the lines and 2 at the bottom. This left me with a huge stepoff in the middle of the skirt.
I guess the solution is to ignore the end width and stick with the shortened width because otherwise I'd have to widen the entire skirt from the top and that would change the entire skirt, or angle very steeply which would create an oddly triangular skirt.
My flowered fabric is an organic rayon blend and is very drapey and stretchy and cozy. I got it from Modesa in Bern - saw this dress in it right away. I put off sewing this once it was cut out because I was so so hopeful and I think I worried my final product wouldn't meet my expectations. But finally I did it! And it's great! It is the tiniest bit transparent at the bust but not so you'd notice. The design of this skirt has a little more volume than the Skater Dress pattern and so it hangs in gentle folds. If I wear this a lot I would definitely add some clear elastic to the waist to keep it from stretching too much.
Shows that making tester versions really makes a difference. (ahem Metamorphic Dress.) Weirdly, the sides of the skirt were longer than the centre, but the back wasn't shorter despite my swayback adjustment. I just laid it flat and redrew the curve. I decided not to finish the hem or the sleeves because the rayon is so light and the sewing machine is so crappy, it's just not going to do anything good. (Again if I haven't said it before: cheap modern Singer sewing machines are NEVER a good idea. Though I supposed any sewing machine is better than none...)
In order to prepare, I made two tops - the long one and the cropped version, mainly to check sizing.
My long top was for a friend so I left it long, I did the low back option with the tie. I used a size 2 though my measurements were between 2 and 4. My friend is a little smaller.
I think it's impossible to turn a closed ended tie right side out so I cut the end off and left it open.
Instructions otherwise just fine - I found the bindings too loose, but once the top was on they laid flat. Also the top seemed HUGE! But it's because of the very low back which is kind of floppy when it's just sitting there. I really liked having 1/4" SA, it's nice not having too long edges to cut off, though now I have my own overlocker everything goes faster.
The second top is upcycled from a dress. It's short all right and that's without hemming, because I cut the back on the original hem of the skirt to avoid hemming it, so it's about an inch longer than the cropped version should be. I'm happy with the size 2, and I prefer the low back, which does not show bra straps but is still nice and low.
For the dress I stuck with the size 2, the lowest back, and open ended ties. I made a swayback adjustment for the dress, cutting out a wedge to 1" at centre back. It felt really weird to be doing this! I kept comparing my pattern pieces to an old Skater Dress I still have to make sure I wasn't doing anything too odd.
I didn't use the pockets. In a knit skater dress I think the chance that they pull the fabric down is too high. I just drew a straight line that cut them away. I also shortened the neckline binding by 4 cm, and I shortened the skirt by 6", 4 at the lines and 2 at the bottom. This left me with a huge stepoff in the middle of the skirt.
I guess the solution is to ignore the end width and stick with the shortened width because otherwise I'd have to widen the entire skirt from the top and that would change the entire skirt, or angle very steeply which would create an oddly triangular skirt.
My flowered fabric is an organic rayon blend and is very drapey and stretchy and cozy. I got it from Modesa in Bern - saw this dress in it right away. I put off sewing this once it was cut out because I was so so hopeful and I think I worried my final product wouldn't meet my expectations. But finally I did it! And it's great! It is the tiniest bit transparent at the bust but not so you'd notice. The design of this skirt has a little more volume than the Skater Dress pattern and so it hangs in gentle folds. If I wear this a lot I would definitely add some clear elastic to the waist to keep it from stretching too much.
Shows that making tester versions really makes a difference. (ahem Metamorphic Dress.) Weirdly, the sides of the skirt were longer than the centre, but the back wasn't shorter despite my swayback adjustment. I just laid it flat and redrew the curve. I decided not to finish the hem or the sleeves because the rayon is so light and the sewing machine is so crappy, it's just not going to do anything good. (Again if I haven't said it before: cheap modern Singer sewing machines are NEVER a good idea. Though I supposed any sewing machine is better than none...)
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