Pattern: Vogue 8593

Fabric: Cotton Interlock print – Patti Young for Michael Miller fabrics 1.5 yards

Belt: Calvin Klein

Shoes: Sofft

Notes: I love that I literally can’t take photos without a cat.  Today Sarah Jane has decided to grace us with her presence (she is attracted to this dress, because it collects cat hair like a dustmop.)  This pattern is apparently a knockoff of the dress Michelle Obama wore on her first visit to the white house.  Butterick has a version too, but I chose this one because Vogue patterns fit me better.  The butterick version has an empire waist seam, while the Vogue has no waist seam at all (and darts in the back that run the whole length of the dress.)

I’ve been wanting to make this for awhile, but I was stuck on fabrics.  I knew from reading reviews that a pretty stable knit was required, but I thought a doubleknit would be too thick.  So I decided to try out interlock (which is very much like turtleneck fabric.)  I’m pleased that quilting print designers are starting to come out with other fabrics – I love the prints, but I hate quilting cottons for most garments (skirts are ok.)  I do wish the focus wasn’t all on kids clothes – I don’t have any children, but I want great prints too (without looking like I’m wearing an 8 year old’s dress!)  I thought this print was modern and suited my style.  I bought 1.5 yards, which is just what the pattern called for.  Yeah… don’t do that.  I tried to cheap out and I paid the price.  This stuff shrinks 20-30% in the prewash (on hot, thought I won’t wash it on hot in real life… I wanted it to get the shrinking  out of its system.)  I ended up having to omit the zipper in order to fit everything in.  Fortunately, it totally doesn’t need a zipper (do any knit dresses need zippers?  I’m starting to wonder…)

My only other alteration was to remove the sleeve cap ease.  I really like this dress, though I think I had a dress in the exact same color and style (minus the neck pleating) about 1992… oh yeah, I was a cool 7th grade (no, no I wasn’t, and I probably wore it with stirrup pants.)

I recommend the pattern.  The sizing seems consistent – I made a 6 on top, grading to a 10 at the waist and hips.  The skirt is definitely pegged (ie tapered) and you have to sort of embrace that.  The pleats are thick at the neckline, and I tacked them down inside the folds to keep the facing from flipping out.  Other than that this was an easy dress, and honestly it is like wearing a t-shirt!  This is my outfit for day 15 of Self-Stitched September – we’re halfway there, though I missed several days what with all the being sick and pajama wearing.  I’m not all better, but my fever is gone, and I had a meeting, so I dragged myself off to a University where I probably frightened a few administrators with my raspy man-voice.  I am totally kidding no one with the tights – it’s 85 degrees today, and I had to walk up 4 flights of stairs (outside!) to get to my meeting.  I took them off as soon as I got home, as apparently it still isn’t fall.

The other dress I finished this week is going to require some surgery (it’s too big) so I may not get to posting on that for awhile.