Save the best for last.
I love this dress. It was the first pattern that I bookmarked from the Drape Drape series but I left it for last because I thought it would be the most challenging of the four. It's the only fitted piece where sizing actually matters and on top of that it requires a zipper. Well as it turns out it didn't take me much more than an afternoon of sewing plus I nixed the zipper altogether without a problem. Oh, and counter to the sizing chart (see discussion at the bottom of this post) the large-XL didn't end up being quite right for me after all. It was fine in the shoulders but I had to chop off about 2" from the back seam, and that still allows me to pull the dress on without a zipper.
The gathering detail on this dress is fantastic (and I'm complimenting the design, not my own handiwork). I love the bodice of this dress. First of all, it blows my mind that this whole dress was cut out of a single piece of fabric. How does someone think up such a thing? Second of all the sleeves are about the cutest I've ever made - gathered in the front and flat in the back.
A clever seam along the sides and back of the waist allows for more gathering detail in the skirt portion of the dress.
And finally instead of putting in a zipper I was able to sew up most of the back seam leaving a short opening near the top that I closed off with a loop and button. Usually I don't shy away from invisible zippers but I was a bit anxious to use one with stretch material. The slightest misalignment in installing the zipper would surely result in ugly wrinkles accentuated by the stretchiness of this beautiful teal microsuede fabric. It's too bad I didn't take better care to match up the left and right seams of the neckline. I think I'll put the dress through one more quick pass under the Singer and clean that seam right up.
Here's a better view of how beautifully the dress hangs. Don't be surprised to find a few more of these dresses hanging in my closet by the summer.
I think this one is my favourite!!! As soon as I'm done with this baby belly (and have my life back in order) I am definitely doing a "drape drape indulgence"! I sense a future retreat/workshop featuring your drape drape expertise :)
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