I found this pattern from Made by Rae, way back in December. Just after Christmas when John had gifted me the serger that started this whole crazy obsession. Anyway, I liked the look of the dress and it seemed to have a real cult following, but I was unsure of how it would look on me. Sometimes emprire waists can be extremely flattering, but sometimes they can be the exact opposite. Anyway, after much deliberation and googling, I decided to bite the bullet and try it. There are tons of cute Washis out there, and it appears to look great on all shapes and sizes. For my first attempt, I decided to use a flowered cotton I bought at Walthamstow Market in London. It is a bit heavier weight than I usually like for dresses, but it was really cheap, so I thought that if it didn't work out, it wouldn't be the end of the world.
I made the sleeveless version with the U neck, because I thought the U was a really neat detail, unfortunately I couldn't get the neckline to lay flat. I'm not sure if that is because I stretched out the neckline while sewing it, or if I need some sort of neckline alteration.
Oh my goodness, am I white! Sorry for the lack of shoes. I took these photos while we were at the Country Place so I didn't really have any shoes on hand that went with this dress. I also made it a little too short (oops!) so I don't really feel comfortable without leggings. It's fine if I'm just standing there, but it's very dangerous when I bet over. Plus my I could blind people with my legs, they are so white.
I really love these shape of this dress. I think it flatters in the right places and still gives a nice feminine shape. This wearable muslin turned out quite well. Other than the neckline, it fits well and is super comfortable, and I also think the empire waistline hits in the right place and is quite flattering. What do you think? I now know what all the fuss is about.
The back also has elastic shirring which makes it nice and fitted, but also really comfortable. And the best part about this dress? It has pockets! I love it! It might be hard to tell, but I am actually standing on a slant, so my hem isn't really that off, it's just the angle of my feet.
The pattern and instructions are fantastic. This dress was quite easy to put together and the instructions are detailed and clear, plus Rae has several tutorials on her website if you need extra help. I'm not in love with the fabric to be honest, it's quite stiff and I wish it had a better drape, but I love the colour and pattern. I see more Washis in my future.
Are we getting sick of the sewing posts yet? (I hope not, cause I am loving it!)