PR SWAP items #4 and #5

As promised, pictures of my skirt and dress. They hung in my closet for about 72 hours before I dared hemming them. It's one of my first tries at bias sewing and everything went well. It surely helped that I starched the kiwi green organza - it was really stiff and not slipppery at all.

Skirt....




Pattern Description:
BWOF 05-2007-125. This chiffon skirt is as airy as a light summer breeze. It’s lined with cream-coloured crêpe de chine for modesty’s sake.

Pattern Sizing:
36-46. I sized down from 36 to 34.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Well the picture doesn't show very clearly the skirt. But the skirt I did sure looks like the technical drawing.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
I never follow the Burda instructions. They are quite confusing and vague anyway. Plus we have the Romanian version of Burda here and in my opinion, those who translate the instructions from German to Romanian have no idea about the sewing vocabulary, there are some very strange terms and sentences in there!

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I like the way the skirt flares at the bottom, it's very nice especially if the skirt is done in a flowy, drapey fabric.

Fabric Used:
Kiwi green organza, used both for the skirt and the lining.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
I just sized down the skirt from 36 to 34 and did a petite alteration to the length. (I've made a fold of about 1 inch on the pattern, about 4 inches below the hip line.
I must say it was my second time I think when I sewed a bias-cut garment (and the first time was a wadder) and what helped me was: 1) starching the fabric with homemade starch that made the organza as stiff as a cardboard; 2) staystitching the waist (esential!!); 3) hanging the skirt for 72 hours. I know that 24 hours would have been enough but...
I cut the lining from the fashion fabric and treated both layers as one, including for darts that I sewed using the bobbin-thread technique to get a perfect point. I then sewed the invisible zipper and the side seams leaving the last 5 cm at the hem not sewn. I hung the garment and after that corrected the hemline, did a serger rolled hem on the lining part, sewed the side seams and did a narrow hem on the skirt.
The waist is finished with a bias band cut from the fashion fabric, sewn to the waist, understitched, pressed, slipstiched to the zipper band and tacked to the darts. The finished width of the bias band is about 5/8 inches.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I will definitely sew it again, this time in a fabric that does not require a lining.

Dress... I hope I don't look too much like a nurse in it, but summers are really hot here and wearing white surely helps.






Pattern Description:
Vogue 7693. Dress, below mid-knee, has raised neckline, semi-fitted mock wrap bodice with right front extending into tie end, straight or bias skirt, slightly flared. Also, dress has back zipper and short, self-lined sleeves or long sleeves. A,B: Side front slit. E: Drape. I made view C.

Pattern Sizing:
6-22. I made a 6.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes, it does.

Were the instructions easy to follow?
The instructions were very easy to follow, I had no problem whatsoever.

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I am in love with wrap and mock wrap dressed and having made only knit wrap dresses and tops, I wanted to try a woven one as well.
I also liked the little collar that goes high on the back neck, it gives a very flattering line to the front neckline as well. I also liked that the dress does not have a lot of cleavage, sometimes wrap items do.

Fabric Used:
White linen with a bit of silk. It has a very nice texture (oblique threads, a bit like denim) and a silky touch that gives it the shiny appearance in the photo.

Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
No pattern alteration. The Vogue pattern stipulates a self-lining for the entire bodice and the sleeves (you cut 4 sleeves, two left front bodice, two right front bodices etc). I didn't want two layers of fabric for a hot summer dress so I ditched the self lining and finished the neckline, the tie and the waist line of the right front bodice (the one that flows free and is not sewn to the skirt) with premade satin bias tape.
I've also shortened the dress. My version is not below mid-knee, but just above the knee. I thought this length is better for my short self.

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
Yes I will sew it again. I'm thinking view D but with the long sleeves of View A, and in a thin wool or something of the sort, for autumn and winter.