The irony of the last Demeter dress

So after months working on this pattern and multiple variations, I returned to the exact fit of...the first Demeter dress, which I strongly regret giving away.  That rayon!  That print!  (It sold out.)  The shyly oversized fit somehow worked better than all the alternatives.  Actually I did shorten the hem another inch. Have realised that you can't shorten it too much as the length creates weight which keeps it from being as puffy.

AND I decided it was time to cut into one of my precious Liberty Tana Lawns stashed since 2013.  I have been a fancy fabric whore from the start, but for the longest time I couldn't figure out how to really showcase these lovely birds, thus this piece has remained with a few other favourites in deep-stash.  I was reminded recently that one of the features of Tana Lawn is that it drapes quite well for a lawn, so I was hoping it would be more like the rayon and not puff out like my other versions did.

Reckoned I should line the bodice, but that the skirt has enough volume and gathers that it won't be too transparent. I underlined the bodice with a scrap of soft cotton voile in my stash (after going shopping for appropriate fabric and buying a bunch of things I didn't end up using - too stiff, to shiny, too whatever...)

I tried to put my favourite birds in the best spots, so they wouldn't be beheaded by darts or nipping at my nips, etc. 

 

That's it, I've made this dress so many times, what else can I say?  It's winter so took awhile to get any photos.  It is not quite as drapey as the rayon was but it's still a very satisfying fit and once the weather warms up I'm sure I'll wear it heaps as the pockets are roomy!  After making this pattern 4 times, this is the only version I have kept.  However, reviewing my previous has made me reconsider a tank version but cutting very deep armholes.  Might do that. 

Chalk and Notch Marcel dress review

 I really liked this pattern when it came out and I managed to avoid buying it until summer, thus keeping my enthusiasm fresh.  I also pretty quickly chose this subtly striped Liberty lawn for it - one of my hoarded fabrics that I'm trying to finally use.  

I found the instructions clear.  I do wish pdf instructions would be aligned vertically instead of portrait style, which means you have two pages across and very small print.  I used A0 printing and there was a moderate amount of free space on my pages - almost one entire sheet, which is 7$ of wasted paper.  I cut size 4B - you have the choice of a larger cup size, which changes both the bodice and the centre front piece. And I aligned my stripes as the model has done on the Chalk and Notch website, though my instinct would have been to do the opposite.  If anything I'm surprised and the subtleness of the effect but I think it's smarter in fact to have the vertical stripes be the main focus of the dress. 

I expected to ADORE this dress.

In fact as I've been binge sewing my way through a post-surgery week, this was a highlight plan.  I am sort of getting tired of sewing, but I popped it out over the course of a day.  It's straightforward. Except for the straps. 

Here I am recalling some dissatisfaction I had with the Peppermint/Elbe textiles pattern from last year, which required you to insert the straps at your own personalised length.  That ended up being too hard to identify and my straps were too short and I couldn't stand them.

Here, you have the option to slightly angle the straps on the front. I did this.  I have sloped shoulders. Then you can try on the wee bodice piece to your heart's content until the straps are adjusted to suit you. I angled the back straps as well.  I should have even shortened them a bit.  So my main irritation with this pattern is that you really can't do just one.  You need to do one, identify exactly what happens with the straps during wear, and then make that a permanent feature of your pattern. 

 Also, in the end, this is quite billowy, with the gathers mostly at the sides and the front just...roomy.  Good for pregnancy.  I'm not pregnant though.  And in the short version it feels very very short because it doesn't touch my legs.  So, good if you are somewhere so hot, you want to feel like you aren't wearing clothes.  But I feel like it's not enough dress.  A breeze would be dangerous.  I recommend heavier fabric, like tencel, rayon or linen (unless you want that nothing effect.)  I think I would not make this length again - I'd add one more tier.  (I'm 5'4")  Also, this dress suffers a severe lack of pockets, and nowhere to put pockets, unless you put them on the side panel.  

Overall I am satisfied but I am not in love.  I'm not rushing to make the second one but I could see it happening one day.  Definitely would be a fun make for lots of scraps.