V1368 (OOP) - Ugly Bias Linen Dress

Me:  I've made another Donna Karan pattern dress... it's comfortable and loose...  

but not what you'd call stylish. 

   

You: Hmmm. It certainly doesn't look stylish like that. 

Can't you stand still for a second? 

Oh and just so you know - 
when you're daughter's in the picture I can't concentrate on the clothes!

Just saying... it's up to you, I know...

Me: OK, here's a boring standing still picture. 

And the back view.

 

Me: Satisfied? 

You: My God, what dreadful photos!!! 

Maybe those strange yellowy moving ones were better after all. 

Tell me though - that's not really a Donna Karan pattern, is it? 

Me: Yeah, it's this one - Vogue 1368. 

It's OOP so unless you have it in your stash it's pretty low risk...

You: Looks absolutely nothing like yours! 

Did you stuff it up or something?


Me: No! I didn't stuff it up, I swear! 

I did make a couple of changes but they were just to fix it!   

I even used a recommended fabric!

Look, this is what is was like when I made it "as instructed":

You: Geez - that IS ugly. 

So what did you do to "fix" it?

Me: I just added some darts and a big bow :-)

A bit better, n'est-ce pas?

You: Barely. 

It's still pretty dowdy.

Will you actually wear it?

Me: I don't think so... 

Boo hoo hoo (runs off to cry)

You (shouting): Hey - I just noticed something funny

- those red marks

- they look just like BLOOD! 

Weird huh?

But at least you didn't make shorts! 

Me: BOO HOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

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The Lowdown

Pattern Rating: Easy

Cost: $24

• 2 metres x $12/metre linen from Material World
• $0 stash zip (totally superfluous of course as the whole dress is bias cut)
• $0 thread - using up some half spools
• $0 binding - made by hand (no special tools, just bias cut strips sewn together and ironed in half)

Time: 4 hours = way too long given the finished object

• approx 45 minutes cutting out due to lots of mucking about with placement on the fabric 

I recently had a cutting out question in the comments, and thought this example would illustrate nicely how I go about things

If I had cut this out on the true bias the dots would have been angled from the horizontal as well as from the vertical, so I cut it a little off the bias.  I started out with the front pattern piece and made a mental note of where the now horizontal dots sat with respect to the waistline marked on the front piece so I could be consistent with the back pieces. I placed the back piece for the right hand side first, but before I cut it I used my tape measure and ruler to make sure I was leaving enough room for the left hand back piece with the dots at the right level. Once I'd cut this piece out I flipped it over on the fabric to match up the dots before pinning and cutting the left hand back piece.

placing right back on fabric - using ruler

use right back piece to match up left back piece

 

• 1/2 hour initial sewing and 3-step zig zagging of edges
• 1/2 hour making bias binding
• 1 1/2 hours sewing, checking fit and fixing
• 45 minutes ironing, inserting zip and doing last of the 3 step zig zags in lieu of a hem

Adjustments:

• Raised the front neckline just a little (an error! must have been confusing Vogue with Burda)

• Cut all dress pieces slightly off the angle so as to get the dots in a straight horizontal across my waist
• Lengthened about 3 inches
• Added darts
• Added a distraction bow

Pattern Review: Avoid this one. It makes a sack - and who needs another of those?