I was allowing myself to thumb through my Japanese pattern books for inspiration...and sure enough, inspiration was waiting for me in She Wears the Pants, by Yuko Takada.
I picked out no. 12: the draped minidress, realising I have exactly the fabric for it, and I was enticed by how simple it was, but also how clever - the grainline isn't at the centre of the front piece, presumably to alter the drape of the front.
Problem: my chest is 32.5, which is a small, but my waist and hip are solidly a size M. I decided to size up, and I sincerely regretted that later - I didn't think through silk jersey, and how it would be better for it to be too small, and very clingy, rather than too big.
I sort of went my own way with the bindings doing a kind of hybrid bias binding on them, but otherwise the pattern was very simple. Tracing the pattern, I thought about my previous experience trying to copy a Japanese dress (here) and how a very simple appearing decision like an offset grainline can make all the difference to the pattern.
You only trace 2 pieces. You measure your own bindings, and you mirror imagine the front piece to create 2, whereas the back is cut on the fold. It was one of the simplest Japanese patterns I've ever traced out. Of course adding seam allowances, a minor irritation.
Though my jersey was slippery, overall this is a very easy sew.
It's just like the model! Even the weird, hunched over look! In my pictures I promise I'm not hunching. I do have a blue dress under it which shows at the hem (obviously and at the chest).
You see I really should have sized down. A size down would have indeed been clingy, not a bad thing in this fabric, and it also wouldn't have draped down to my belly button. It may not quite show my belly button but I look down and see a lot so it feels like it exposes more than it does! The weight of the drape comes directly from the shoulders so the bindings are a good support. I really like how nicely finished this is, and how easily it came together.
As it is I'm happy with this experiment. I wore it to dinner at friends (they are part of my shared isolation bubble, no judging!) and layered a bra top under it and it was great. Also, looking over the book again the model is wearing a top under it so possibly it drapes down to her belly button too.
Thoughts:
size down if you are in between, especially in a heavier weight fabric
the front drape flips inside out at times, so a fabric that doesn't have an obvious reverse side is better.
easy dress!
I picked out no. 12: the draped minidress, realising I have exactly the fabric for it, and I was enticed by how simple it was, but also how clever - the grainline isn't at the centre of the front piece, presumably to alter the drape of the front.
Problem: my chest is 32.5, which is a small, but my waist and hip are solidly a size M. I decided to size up, and I sincerely regretted that later - I didn't think through silk jersey, and how it would be better for it to be too small, and very clingy, rather than too big.
I sort of went my own way with the bindings doing a kind of hybrid bias binding on them, but otherwise the pattern was very simple. Tracing the pattern, I thought about my previous experience trying to copy a Japanese dress (here) and how a very simple appearing decision like an offset grainline can make all the difference to the pattern.
You only trace 2 pieces. You measure your own bindings, and you mirror imagine the front piece to create 2, whereas the back is cut on the fold. It was one of the simplest Japanese patterns I've ever traced out. Of course adding seam allowances, a minor irritation.
Though my jersey was slippery, overall this is a very easy sew.
It's just like the model! Even the weird, hunched over look! In my pictures I promise I'm not hunching. I do have a blue dress under it which shows at the hem (obviously and at the chest).
 |
| Not hunched over, for real! |
You see I really should have sized down. A size down would have indeed been clingy, not a bad thing in this fabric, and it also wouldn't have draped down to my belly button. It may not quite show my belly button but I look down and see a lot so it feels like it exposes more than it does! The weight of the drape comes directly from the shoulders so the bindings are a good support. I really like how nicely finished this is, and how easily it came together.
As it is I'm happy with this experiment. I wore it to dinner at friends (they are part of my shared isolation bubble, no judging!) and layered a bra top under it and it was great. Also, looking over the book again the model is wearing a top under it so possibly it drapes down to her belly button too.
Thoughts:
size down if you are in between, especially in a heavier weight fabric
the front drape flips inside out at times, so a fabric that doesn't have an obvious reverse side is better.
easy dress!
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