Vogue 1228 -- Shift Dress

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This is the first woven dress I've made in a while; it is Vogue 1228.  I believe it's also the first Vogue pattern I've tried (although it's a designer -- Vena Cava -- it's still labeled 'easy').  I liked that it was a little artsy but wearable.  (The artsy part is not the fan blades emerging from my head.  A lack of willing and able photographers has reduced me to mirror self-portraits.  I think I need to get a tripod.)

The pattern I had only went up to a size 14.  I thought I had read that Vogues ran a little smaller than the other big pattern companies, so after cutting the 14 out (I didn't trace it since it was the largest size and all the other sizes were still preserved on the original pattern), I pinned the front to the back along the seam line, and "tried it on," so to speak. I just did not feel comfortable that it was going to reach around me all the way without being too tight.  So I added an inch to each side, front and back. I also added two inches to the length, just to be on the safe side.

You can see where I added along the side (top) and where I cut the pattern apart to add the length

I had also read the neckline was too wide and low, so I redrew the neckline in another centimeter or so on either side, and drew it a centimeter higher.  After making it, I think the low factor is more of a problem for women with a bigger bust.  Not sure that was a necessary fix for me;) I also left out the side zipper because it is easy to just pull on over the head.

The fabric I used was a blue paisley-ish polyester peachskin from Joann.  I used a microtex needle and had no problems with any of it except for the hem.  This is the second time I've tried to hem a peachskin dress (I never got the first dress right and it ended up in the giveaway pile).  I could not get this dress hemmed right either.  After ripping out the hem I did by hand -- which was lumpy and bumpy -- I finally just turned it under and sewed a narrow hem by machine.

As far as the sewing directions, there are a few unusual details that I had to think through, mostly the horizontal pleat that runs across the front and the back.  If you change the depth of the neckline that changes it a little bit.  Most of the seams are French seams, which I liked, but that makes it a little more difficult to fit as you go.

A close-up of the sleeve detail --the horizontal pleat is at the bottom of the neckline

I may make it again in the spring, with a silkier fabric that has a little more drape.  The peachskin worked fine but has more structure when sewn up than you might think.

And here's my forgot-to-turn-off-the-flash first photo:

Blogging is no simple activity.  In addition to working on my computer skills, I now need to work on my photography skills.  Maybe it will sharpen my brain:)