Monday, July 4, 2016

Vogue 1445 Dress Review: This wearable muslin is a keeper and Me Made May 2015 Recap


Well, it seems I can get enough of stripes! There's just something about them! Recently I bought the Vogue pattern 1445 by Pamela Rolland and could wait to sew it up.


My only concern was about the fit. I tend to shy away from shift dresses and this one was no exception. And it doesn't have side seams so adjustments will be tricky. I decided to sew a wearable muslin in a Ponte knit striped fabric that I had more than 3 yards of. I chose a striped fabric because by now you know I love playing around with stripes.
I also had an inspiration picture in mind. This Banana Republic dress I saw a few year back and wanted to replicate one day.

So I got to work on this pattern. I cut a size 12 but next time I will cut a 10. The instructions are pretty good(I realized it the hard way) except for a few things I did differently. I learned the hard way because after reading the instructions I thought I could bypass the hand sewing part as instructed and cut corners. I was wrong and had the undo the dress! The good thing though is that I was able to check the fit before taking it down and it sped up the process the second time around.


I used a black mesh knit to line the dress. Since I was using a ponte knit already I didn't want to use my usual knit lining for fear it would be too uncomfortable in the summer!
Construction was easier the second time.  I didn't have to do a whole lot of stripe matching for a change. I followed the instructions with the exception of the exposed zipper and how to attach the lining to the zipper and the hem.


I used a zipper from my stash so it's not as long as what the pattern calls for! Because I had checked the fit the first time, I know I need to cut a size 10 next time if I make it in a double knit fabric and maybe a 12 in a woven.
For the zipper, I used the trusted Pattern Runway tutorial. I really like it how straightforward it is!
I didn't slip stitched the lining to the zipper or the hem. I did it all by machine with the exception of slip stitching the hem facing to the dress before attaching the lining.


What drew me to this pattern is the interesting hem shape and the raised neckline. I like this shift dress so much I might change my mind and try sewing more of them. The pattern is well drafted. The armholes are just the right size. Not too low. The cut in shoulders are very flattering.
Only dislike might be the front opening. Even though it's interfaced tend to fall but that's probably because of the knit fabric choice.



 I see myself wearing this a lot this summer as it can be dress up and down. I wore it to church and got a lot of compliments. I want to make it again in a stretch woven maybe. I firmly believe this wearable muslin is a keeper! What say you?

Me Made May 2015 recap

Me Made May is almost over. The month of May went by fast! Here's a recap of what I wore this week.

Unblogged Band of Outsiders knock off dress.

Burdastyle top and skirt


Look who's Member in Focus on PR

Unblogged Burda cardigan and top

Quick and easy unselfish sewing for my middle one.

Unblogged self drafted dress.


Vogue 1445

37 comments:

  1. Love your play on stripes with the Vogue dress.

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  2. Very cute dress, the stripes are so fun and the exposed zipper is fabulous.

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  3. You have some really amazing dresses! Love them all!!

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  4. I love the dress - especially the back - It looks amazing! The maxi skirt for your daughter is so cute and the pattern the print makes at the sides seams is really neat. If I could find a print like that I would make one myself!

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    1. Thanks Helen! I too love how the stripes are so fun at the seams on that skirt! I'm sure you can find similar prints!

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  5. Great dress! I like the directions you picked for the stripes.

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  6. Love all your stripy dresses. I wish I had more stripes in my life!

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    1. Thanks! And you should definitely have more stripes in your life!

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  7. Oh my gosh this is fantastic. I want to copy it immediately. That shape looks great and super clever use of the stripes. love it! so sophisticated and yet casual at the same time.

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    1. You should totally copy this Beth! You'll love this dress! I'm amazed at how much I like it myself!

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  8. Love the dress, looks great on you and the fit looks perfect!

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  9. Beautiful dresses. Love all of them.

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  10. I have no words for how much I adore your dress! The neckline, the stripes, the fit!!!! You look great in shift dresses, too, BTW. I am running out and buying this pattern and making one immediately! Very inspirational, Pauline.

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  11. Aww! You're too kind! I am planning 2 more shift dresses already! Can't wait to see yours!

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  12. This looks great on you! Stripes are so much fun to play with. Thanks for stopping by my blog.

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    1. Thanks Roz! This is becoming my favorite summer dress! And thank you too for stopping by my blog!

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  13. you did a great job with all of your pieces. I'm an extreme beginner but I really want to try V1445...it's a nice dress up or down dress.

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    1. Thanks Tonya! I think that even though the pattern is not for a beginner, you can tackle it if you want to challenge yourself! The instructions are very helpful so follow them and you can achieve it!

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  14. Bravo pour cette robe, j'aime beaucoup comment tu as joué avec les rayures ! Je vais t'appeler la reine des rayures :))

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    1. Merci ma chère! J'aime trop cette robe et je compte en faire une deuxième!

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  15. All of your outfits are AMAZING! Thanks for the comment and tip on my blog about trying out striped samples on paper first. I do samples of everything else, so why didn't I do a sample of the stripes? Hmmmm!

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    1. Thanks Kyle and you're more than welcome! What I love about the sewing community is how we help each other getting better!!

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  16. Paulina, This is one stunning dress that just shines on you!!

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  17. That's a really cool sewing patterns. The close-up details look fantastic :)

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  18. Your dress certainly looks like the inspiration photo. Gorgeous dress. Strips do suit you!

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    1. Thanks Tomasa! I am definitely fan of stripes.

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  19. Beautiful dress. Love the exposed zipper!

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