Sew You Think You Can Knock Off: July 2016

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.