I had high hopes for this dress, but in the end I have to give it two big thumbs down. From the get-go I foresaw issues, most of them I didn't change because I thought, "Nah, the pattern can't possibly be that far off." I was wrong and regretted wasting the fabric. That is until, I made some changes and then only slightly regret wasting the fabric and time.
The pattern is labelled as "EASY" and it is very easy. I selected the middle dress (a.k.a. the long version) for the one I wanted to sew. I always have issues with the length of things so I new I would have to take some off. I removed 9 inches from the pattern. Yes, 9 INCHES! That's a lot of fabric if you ask me, but whatever. During the cutting out phase I also questioned the length of the shoulder straps. They seemed a bit long, but convinced myself this was alright because the design has them crossing in back. I also questioned the width of the bodice, but again, I though this would be fixed in the sewing process. Well, these issue turned out to be exactly the problems of the dress.
The overall look of the front seems to be exactly as the pattern has pictured. These images are of the finished garment, and have been altered from the pattern. So, they are not what you would get if you followed the directions. The bodice is also wide for my body. I took it in on both side by 5/8 inch. I would have like to have shrunk the middle section to align the shoulder straps a bit better, but the fabric was cut so I'll just have to live with it. If you are sewing the pattern and haven't cut your fabric yet, please check the width. You can do this by measuring from the center of your bust to the middle of your rib cage. Compare your measurements to the pattern piece. You can shrink the necks width by moving the center seam away from the fold line. Remember though, this reduction will be doubled since you are cutting on a fold line. I would also recommend you measure the length of the bodice. It is short for me by about 3 inches. It would be more flattering if it came below the breast.
One idea that I like from the pattern directions is the basting of the pleats in the front prior to sewing the skirt in place. When I read this, I thought to myself, "why haven't I ever thought of this before?" After measuring and pressing the pleats in place, I simply stitched straight across the pleats below the seam allowance. I used a very loose stitch---by definition that is what a basting stitch is, right---that could be pulled once the garment was finished. The real directions get a bit more involved, but my idea yields the same results with less effort and worked wonderfully. There are no puckers or scatty pleats along the waistline.
The rear view is where the most visible change was made. I ended up not crossing the straps. As predicted, they were too short for the effect. Also crossing them caused a bigger issue with the front not laying flat against the neckline making the dress look messy and homemade. To be honest, I wouldn't even wear it like that. It was very unflattering. Uncrossing the straps left a surplus in the strap length. I unstitched the lining and removed 3 inches off the back straps and 1.5 inches off the front.
Did I mention that I had finished the dress off before I tried it on? Big mistake! I should know better.
The pattern calls for functional buttons. Since I made the strap lay straight, there was no need to go through the hassle of making a button hole. My buttons are stationary. I also stitched the strap in place giving the whole piece some support.
As always, I used an invisible zipper. If you haven't become a fan of this notion, you must. It will make your sewing experience so much nicer. A regular hook and eye are standard company for the invisible zipper, which is what I used here.
In addition to sewing the straps in place, I reinforced the button with an additional button on the reverse side. This technique reduces the stress on the fabric.
Would I recommend you going out and buying this pattern to sew? Probably not. If I knew you, I give you mine. I won't make this dress/shirt again. It took me nearly 6 hours to complete. Granted, much of that time could have been saved if I would have followed my own advice and measured and altered as I went.
With all this said. There are two groups of girls I would recommend this to...as long as they knew what they were getting into. The first group is the young seamstress, as this is easy to make, they don't really care about clothing fit, and it is for the most part a little trendy in a what old is new sort of way. The second group is pregnant people. Don't laugh, but I think this could be very comfy. There is a lot of room in the tummy area and can easily be made larger. Also, why couldn't you use different fabric. A nice cotton on top and knit on the bottom. Could be cute, or not? Well, if you are in the middle of McCall's 5660, best of luck. Don't give up on my account.
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