McCall's 6884 The Last Wrap of Summer

I finished McCall's 6884 months ago when the days were still long and the sun was warm.  Somehow, I forgot to blog it, even though I've worn it quite a bit and I love it.

I made View B with the plain front, full coverage skirt, and 3/4 sleeves.

The pattern has lots of options, though, and you could use it to make a whole week's worth of wrap dresses and every one of them would look different.

It's an "easy" pattern and it really lives up to that title.  It went together quickly and with no problems.  I cut my standard 14 at the shoulder and 16 from the bust down and then lengthened the waist.  I also lengthened the ties thinking the pattern pieces looked too short to wrap behind my back and then tie in the front with enough left to hang down.  I really should have left them alone- I have to wrap them twice and then tie in the front to keep them from hanging down and catching on things.

The only other change I made was to add bands to the neckline.  I wanted that extra 3/4" of coverage and I thought it would make a nicer finish than just turning under and stitching.  I cut them on the cross grain and I like the way the print looks oriented that way.  I wish I had cut them a bit shorter- they don't snug up to my chest quite the way I wanted them to.

The neckline is rather low.  I don't have it pinned in the picture, but I do have to pin it for daily wear.

I think the best thing about this pattern, at least for this view, is the way the skirt is put together.  the wrap is caught into the side seam below the waist and that makes it very secure.  It would take a hurricane force wind to cause a wardrobe malfunction.  I'm confident and covered even sitting down or climbing in and out of my car.

My fabric is an ITY knit from fabric.com.  I LOVE the print!  The colors are different than what I usually choose but the orange, blue, and green combination is fabulous.  The fabric is a little on the smooth and slippery side, but it's opaque and I wear a slip anyway.  It sewed easily and has held up well to washing.

I'm quite pleased with this little dress and it has gotten a lot of wear throughout the end of the summer and into fall.  It's a little bit loose now and I will eventually have to take it in at the sides to keep the bodice from looking baggy, but I think it will be easy to do.

I can also see myself making this pattern again in one of the other views.  The gathered waist in particular has caught my eye.  If you have this one in your stash, make it!  It turns out a great dress with no stress!

In closing I'll just leave you with this.  I am so not a fashion model!

Vogue 9050 A Little Green Dress

I haven't sewn a stitch since the time change a couple of weeks ago.  The early darkness seems to stifle my mojo.  However, the latest thing to come out of my sewing room a few weeks ago is Vogue 9050, a simple sheath dress with seaming.

This is an Easy Options pattern offered in a slim skirt view and a flared skirt view in two lengths.  It has a sleeveless option as well as a long and short sleeve option.  I chose the slim skirt and long sleeves.

The pattern calls for woven fabrics or ponte knit.  I chose ponte, of course!  This lovely emerald green came from fabric.com and was part of my birthday present to myself.

I cut a 14 through the shoulders and a 16 from bust to hem.  Adjustments included adding 1 3/4" of length to the waist and shortening the sleeves about 4".  My waist adjustment was spot on, but I went a bit overboard with the sleeves- mine ended up more bracelet length, but it's okay.  I usually push them up anyway.  But next time I'll add 2" back...

The dress is easy to sew.  It's really just a princess seamed shift with the princess seams ending at the neckline instead of the shoulder or the armhole.  The side front and side back are two pieces with a nifty little diagonal seam at the hip.  The sleeves are two pieces with a seam running from the shoulder point to the wrist.

The dress is designed to be fully lined, but of course I didn't do that with the ponte.  Facing pattern pieces are provided for the interfacing which Vogue would have you iron onto the front and back neckline after the princess seams are sewn and finished.  I just used them to cut actual facings to which I fused the interfacing and then sewed them together and finally attached them to the dress.  It worked beautifully.

All of the seams are serged on the inside and the facing is tacked down by hand at all of the section seams.  I left off the zipper and the back slit.

I'm pretty pleased- I love the color and the fabric and the design lines.  But... this thing is short.  I made a 1" hem and it hits me right above the knee.  It feels kind of scandalous.  If I make this again, and I might, I will add about 3" to the skirt length and hem it at mid knee.  In the meantime, I'll wear it anyway.  In this bright green, it will make a great dress for Christmas.  And St Patrick's day...

I can also see making this again for spring/summer in the sleeveless view, maybe using a print for the center panels and a bright solid for the sides.  Is it sad that I'm already wishing for spring and long daylight hours again?