Sewing in Surf City: Home Again

Monday, September 14, 2015

Home Again

We're back from our road trip through the Southwest. I packed my ginormous rolling suitcase with an extensive me-made wardrobe. We were gone for two weeks and still I didn't manage to wear everything I brought. Like this dress, for example:

This is McCall's 6163, which has a bunch of good reviews on PatternReview.com. It looks like this pattern is out of print, which is too bad. It's a great one, and seems to look good on most everyone.

I borrowed the pattern from my sewing bud, Lucy. She had already cut it in a size 8, so size 8 is what I used. I'm glad I had her wisdom to guide me in sizing - the Big 4 do things in strange and mysterious ways. Looking at the chart on the back of the pattern, I would have cut a size 12 and then wondered why the neck gaped.

I used a light ITY knit that I bought ages ago at Fabrix in San Francisco. I really liked the colors and I thought I had enough to make a dress, but I was afraid it was too lightweight. When Lucy recommended this pattern, that magic pairing of fabric and project gelled.

I made View B, but omitted the collar and the sash. Also axed the side zipper. My knit is so stretchy there was no need.

Little did I know when I borrowed the pattern that it would come with Lucy's construction notes, which were brilliant. Lucy used a self-fabric band to finish the neck, so I did too. The finish look way nicer than the turn-and-stitch method recommended by McCall's, and the slight stretch she advised when applying the band keeps the neckline nice and flat while wearing.

Lucy also put the sleeves in flat and did up the underarm and side seams all in one go. Much easier that way!

My pattern review is on PatternReview.com here.

So, I don't have any pictures of this dress out on the road, but here are a couple of gratuitous vacation pictures....