"Plaid-Teau" - Vogue 8615

UPDATED 2/3/11 TO INCLUDE COLLAGE OF ME WEARING THE DRESS!

SNOW SEW Daaaaaay! today due to inclement weather.  We got an ice storm here in Ohio!  Now for this project:  It's been a loooooong.......long time coming!  Thank you Lord! I started this project over a year ago.  It was one of the first projects that I began when I got back into sewing.  I had purchased this fabric at Hancock Fabrics yeeeears ago.  We haven't had a Hancocks since....well, it's been some years - seven maybe?  I've lost count.  I absolutely HAD to have this fabric - can you see why?  It was cut into two pieces but I purchased it anyway.

I daydreamed (seriously) about this fabric once I'd purchased it.  I would imagine it made up in all types of garments.  I almost settled on a  McCall's NY pattern.  Remember those - I use to LOOOVE those patterns - was kind of sad to see them go.  I have a few in stash that I hope to eventually get to.  This particular pattern was a two-piece suit.  Jacket and skirt.  The jacket was fitted and the skirt was above the knee and it had a little flair to it.  Unfortunately I was about  1/2 yard short of fabric.  I could not wait to get my hands on something that I thought would do this fabric some justice.  It turned out to be this dress.  I say the fabric is Boucle but Virginia begs to differ - she's probably right.  She thinks that it is some type of suiting.  It's tightly woven and ravels quite a bit.  By the time I give it a thorough review I'll be able to say, hopefully.

How this dress became an unfinished project:  As much as I love this fabric, I think that it became a little overwhelming for me at first.  Perhaps it was not the best fabric choice to get back into the swing of things with. Maybe not even the best fabric choice for this type of dress.  Not sure.  I remember trying the dress on thinking....wow this is MAD BUSY!  It swallowed me up - I didn't shorten it so it was quite long in it's unfinished state.  Even though I had matched the plaids, as best I could, something was still off.  I didn't like it so much.  I thought I'd made a BIG mistake!

If I knew then what I know now:  This is an even or balanced plaid  i.e. the design is the same from left to right as it is from top to bottom.  Opposite of that would be an uneven or unbalanced plaid where the design is different in lenghtwise or crosswise direction or both directions.  I could have cut the skirt pieces out seperately to get the plaids to match up more perfect or simply just taken more care to ensure that the plaid on the top layer and under layer were perfectly matched.

I don't particularly like:  That the plaids are not matched up perfectly or the way they fall to the center in the front and back. I know I won't be standing still when I'm wearing the dress but still!  To my surprise, this dress is designed to be worn with a petticoat.  GET OUTTA HERE!  I'd never consider wearing one although it might help with the drape of the plaids. Hmmmm...????  Without it the plaids look a little distorted, I think.  As for the pockets, I should have used lining fabric for both the pockets and the facings.  Instead I used it just for the facings which makes the sides a little bulky.  Lord knows I don't need any bulk in this area!!!! I inserted the zipper too high but decided not to rip it out for fear of stretching the opening.  Still trying to figure out how I am going to insert a hook and eye!  All seams are concealed in the lining except for the sleeves. It's how the pattern instructs the construction.  forthe sake of time, I just finished them with a serged seam.  If I made this again, I would conceal the sleeve seams in the lining.   

 What I LOVE about the dress:  The fabric, the shape of the neckline - both front and back, the flare of the skirt.  The fact that it is fully lined and has a nice weight to it.  I didn't have enough of the black polyester that the bodice and the sleeves are lined with so I combined it with a white silky polyester something or the other found in Virginia's stash. I like the lining looks. 

Issues with fit:  The dress is too wide in the neck and shoulder area. It keeps falling off of my shoulders.  I am certain that I am going to have to make an adjustment and have been considering some options.  In the meantime I will more than likely wear this dress with a fitted top underneath to five the shoulders something to hold on to.  An adustement will change the neckline a bit so I'll make them in the back of the dress.  I should have cut a smaller neck line.  I cut a straight size 12.  Perhaps a 10 neckline or maybe even an 8 and then graded out to a 12.  The dress fits well otherwise.  It's has more than enough ease in the waist area.   

Conclusion:  While this dress is far from perfect - I'm sure if you look hard enough you will see spot some imperfections - I LOVE IT!  I'm glad I waited this one out. I plan on getting my fair wear out of it!  As soon possible, I will take a picture in it and update this post as well as post to PatternReview.com.  That's all for now.  Thanks for stopping by..... stay tuned......and BE BLESSED!