Vogue 8972

Vogue 8972 has been finished for a couple of weeks.  It's already been road tested, too.  I've just been waiting for the right combination of good light, an available photographer, and a not-so-bad-hair-day.  I decided to take photos today anyway.

The Princess was my photographer today and I let her play with the camera settings.  I quite like the blue effect, which surprisingly kept the color of the dress pretty true.  Now.  On to the details...

This was one of the dresses released with the 2014 spring patterns. 

From the pattern back:  Lined dress has close-fitting bodice, seam detail, skirt variations, and back zipper. Topstitching. Separate pattern pieces are included for cup sizes A, B, C, D. A, B and C: semi-fitted skirt, back hemline slit and stitched hem. B and F: unlined sleeves. D, E and F: narrow hem. FABRICS: Jacquard, Crepe, Ponte Knit. Also for F: Lace. 

I made view C, with the 3/4 length sleeves and the straight skirt.  I chose this marine blue ponte knit which I got for half price at Hancock Fabrics a few weeks ago.  I had a scant 2 yards- it was cut slightly off grain.

I spent all afternoon laying this out, trying to fit the pattern pieces on the fabric so that I could eliminate the CB seams.  I just could not make them fit with the amount of fabric I had and in the end I gave in and used the layout from the pattern.  Everything fit, but I had to live with the CB seams in the bodice and the skirt.

I did, however, eliminate the zipper.  And the back vent.

I cut my "usual" size 14/16/18, using the c-cup bodice pieces.  I added 5/8" of length to the waist pieces and 1" to the skirt.

I planned all along to eliminate the lining, and instead serged all the seams.  I didn't have enough fabric to cut a facing or even a binding strip for the neckline.  So I stay stitched around the neckline and then turned the allowance in, just rolling the stay stitching to the wrong side.  I then top stitched it down.  It worked very well and I got a nice, crisp finish with no bulk.  Thank you, easy going ponte knit.

I assembled the front of the dress and the back of the dress and basted them together.  My "usual" size didn't work...  The dress was too big.

I think it may have had to do with the fabric.  Ponte knit is listed on the pattern as a suitable fabric, but this one seems a little stretchier than some others I've used.  It's also quite beefy, and heavy.  I think it may have caused the dress to hang a little lower than it might have in a woven fabric or a lighter knit.

I took up the shoulder seams by about 1/4".  I also took the side seams in by an aggressive 1/4" from the underarm all the way down to the hip and the center back from a couple of inches above the waist band to the hip line.  It helped the fit and I went ahead and set in the sleeves and finished the dress with a 2" hem.

I wore the dress to work last week to road test it.  It felt too big.  Even with the adjustments I made I felt like I was wearing someone else's dress.  I knew I could take it in some more at the sides, from wrist to hem.  And I could re-do the hem a little higher.  But before I went to all that trouble, I decided to try one other thing...

I washed the dress in extra hot water and dried it at the high heat setting.  That seems to have done the trick well enough.

If I made this again I would go down one size all over and I would eliminate the extra length I added to the skirt.  I did toy with the idea of making a color blocked version, but looking at the photos now... I don't know.  I'm not sure I like this dress on me enough to make it again.  It is an easy sew, especially in a knit.  The seams are all straight or gently curved and it's easy to ease the bust seams and sleeves.  And I do still like the style lines.  Maybe I need to let it rest and re-evaluate later.

In the mean time, I have another knit dress almost finished.  It just needs a hem.  It's a different style altogether.  Hopefully I'll have it done and can share this weekend.

How is your fall sewing going?