The project is a wrap dress from Vogue 8784, labeled "Very Easy Vogue." No buttons, no zippers. Sounds like a good project for the first me-sewn garment that I might actually wear to work. I picked up this embroidered linen about a year ago in a sale at JoAnn's. I got enough for a dress, but wasn't sure what.
The pattern runs perpendicular to the selvedge, so I had to cut the dress on the cross grain. You can see in the picture below that I cut out the bodice back pieces with my rotary cutter and mat, but my mat is only about 2' x 3', not big enough for the skirt pieces. So I pinned and cut those pieces with scissors.
Canned goods or pattern weights, you decide.
The front bodice pieces are cut on the bias. I have seen instructions in the past that recommend drawing a different grainline on your pattern pieces when cutting on the cross grain, but I just used a quilting ruler to line up vertically with the grainline and horizontally with the selvedge. I think it worked pretty well.
This print is crazy, at least in terms of trying to match the print between pieces. The print doesn't mirror, so I couldn't just flip the pieces over one on top of the other as I have done with plaids in the past. The flower stems kind of meander horizontally. It was really tough to figure out conceptually how to even go about matching the print. I didn't have much in the way of room to work, either. I did manage to save a seam by cutting the back skirt on the fold instead of having a center seam. That way, too I know the back will match with itself at least. In the end I just tried to match up the pink flowers as best I could. I'm sure it will not look fantastic to the trained eye, but I decided to just go for it. Sometimes you have to learn by making mistakes.
The pattern has pleats in the front instead of darts. I did make a muslin of the bodice, so I'm confident that the shaping will work for me. I didn't want to just draw all over the front of my bodice, however, like I did on the muslin, so I thread-traced instead. I cut open the pleat boxes so that I could accurately mark my fabric. I think it worked well. Of course, time will tell...
I have some pink silk swatches on the way for the wrap belt. My local fabulous Colorado Fabrics just didn't have the right color pink. For the lining, I decided to go with a cotton voile. I have just one ready-to-wear (would it be overly pretentious of me to go with prete a porte instead? You have to admit it sounds so much better) sundress that I ever so occasionally wear, and it has a cotton lining. I thought silk might be a bit too... clingy.
For my frivolous photo: I have been traveling for work a bit lately and found myself in Anaheim, California, with an opportunity for a discounted ticket to Disneyland after 4pm. I didn't have anyone to go with, but I couldn't pass it up. I have to tell you, Disneyland is pretty amazing by yourself (especially with a kindle in your purse). It's so easy to talk to total strangers when you are by yourself and there are many rides that allow "single riders" go straight up to the front of the line to fill in when there is a party of five and the ride holds six. I had a really fabulous time. I sooooooo love Disneyland!
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