I have finally made a dress for Daughter No1! It isn’t the dress I’d sketched for the Miss Bossy Challenge, although that is underway. This was partly inspired by a vintage pattern I have and Daughter No1’s desire to have a “grown up going out” dress. The fabric is a stretch cotton John Kaldor print I’ve had for a very long time, just waiting for the right pattern to come along.
Normally skirt lengths for this young lady are most definitely above the knee, and being petite that’s the way she prefers them. However, no wiggle dress I know has hems that short, this one finishes just below her kneecap, dead on 60cm from her waist.
I used the 2-piece dress block, making the finished length 60 cm and removing 1.5cm from the hip, tapering to 3cm at the hem. She was definite about the hem being narrow! The front skirt dart was converted into a pleat, and I added a second, but the added width does not extend to the hemline. The back skirt retains its 2 darts and centre back seam. I tapered the centre back seam to lose 1.5cm at the hem, then I added a 15cm long vent. then she decided she didn’t want a proper vent, just a split.
The front bodice has waist and underarm darts and a simple neckline, it’s in the back that the fireworks are happening! The back has a deep “V” that crosses over the centre back line about 15cm up and overlaps at the waistline by 5cm. The back bodice dart was converted into a pleat and moved to the intersection of the centre back seam & the waist seam. Once I’d determined the line for the back I added a 5cm grown-on facing. There is a 25cm invisible zip in the skirt in the centre back, and the crossover bodice is fixed with a pair of press studs.
I am really happy with how this dress has turned out, and I hope I get to make another! We just need to see how, with wearing, that back holds up. I have a feeling I may have to put a hook & eye or something where the two back pieces cross, just to ensure there is not too much gapping. But for now, it’s gorgeous, & Daughter No1 loves it! So I’m happy! 🙂
THE COMPULSIVE SEAMSTRESS 