Pattern Review - Vogue 8658 Dress, and a Big Sale

Pattern Description: "MISSES' TUNIC, DRESS AND PANTS: Tunic A, dress B have front and back darts, shaped hem and shaped neckline finished with fold-over braid. A: three-quarter length sleeves with fold-over braid finishing. B: armholes finished with fold-over braid. Length is 1" above mid-knee. Pants C are pull-on with straight legs and elastic waistline casing. Length is below mid-calf. Separate pattern pieces provided for A, B, C, D cup sizes." I made View B, the dress.

Sizing: 6-22. I made a 14

Fabric Used: An absolutely gorgeous cotton that my friend Flora brought back from Italy for me two years ago. For the trim I used Italian Twill Cotton Voile in White from Gorgeous Fabrics (of course).

Needle/Notions Used: Universal 70/10. Gutterman thread.

Did it look like the photo or drawing when you got through? Yes

How were the instructions? I lost them, so I have no idea, sorry.

Construction Notes: Vogue recommends using foldover braid for the trim. I decided instead to make bias binding, thinking it would work better, which it did. I had originally decided to use the Basketweave Cotton as the trim, thinking the texture would work nicely with the print on the main fabric. But the Italian cotton is very light, and when I sewed the basketweave to it, it really weighed down the neckline. So I pulled it off and used the voile instead.

Speaking of the neckline, it is noticeably different from the photo on the website:

The actual neckline comes in much closer to the center front at the base of the throat. The line drawings give a more accurate representation. Also, the curvature of the neckline keyhole is pretty sharp (Sharp curves- isn't that an oxymoron?), so your trim may have a tendency to buckle. Depending on the trim you use, you may want to redraw the neckline so the curves are more gentle (like the picture above).

Any changes? The front of this dress is sized for A, B, C, and D-cups. I lowered the bust dart by one inch. Also, as drafted, the back has very little shape to it, and looks pretty sack-like. I added back waist darts, which gave it a much more pleasing silhouette.

Likes/Dislikes: LOVE the different cup sizes. It makes life so much easier. I wasn't crazy about the shape until I added the back darts. If you have any waist, make a muslin and see if you prefer to add them.

Would you do it again? Would you recommend it? I'm not sure I'd make it again, and I'd give it a qualified recommendation. I think it needs more shaping. The tunic may not need it as much.

Conclusion: A good pattern that can be even better with a little work. Here are pictures on Shelley:

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Happy shopping and sewing!