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Go To Patterns - Casual Lady Dress Revised

So in my first post about this, I detailed the various revisions I made to the pattern to get it to fit my rather non-standard form.

TBH, I was quite happy with the dress as it was - it was flattering and comfortable.  I was a bit annoyed by the back darts I added though, they just weren't doing what I thought they would.

So I off I trundled to sewing class to ask for advice on that...and ended up redoing the front also.

Front after revisions


I haven't included the "before" picture for this was as it hasn't changed dramatically.  Basically I took some more in off the sides of the skirt from the high waist down, and I redid the bust darts as they were way too long.

The changes might be more visible in this side by side:

SideCasualLady_Side























I removed the darts in the back completely, and while the bust dart is actually still wrong (it's not pointing where it should), it is at least now the length it should be.   Annoyingly, I am turned a bit too far to the front in the newer one and you can't see the new back.  The dress as a whole actually sits better, but removing the darts came at a price:

Closer back with no dartsCasualLady_Back























As you can see here it is quite a lot better without the darts, but I do have some pooling of fabric instead. Interestingly, while a swayback adjustment has never been a thing I have considered that I might need, it seems to be what is required here.  The pics below show the contrast if I just pinch out the excess fabric:


Needs a swayback

Before - a fair pool of fabric just above my bum

How a swayback might help


After - much better!

Annoyingly, this isn't an adjustment which can be done after - not on a stripey fabric anyway.  I would need to take a slash out of the pattern piece which would be about an inch deep at centre back and which then tapers out towards the hips to nothing.  I could sew a funny dart in - but the black stripe would then be warped.  Next time!  I will also add something to the shoulder area next time as it's a smidgen too tight.

So am definitely going to make this again and soon - before I forget all the lessons learned.  I made notes on the pattern but it's really easy to think you will know what you mean and 6 months later you have no idea! I am hoping that there is enough of the charcoal grey ponte I have in my stash!

I leave you with the rather unhappy sight of some physios tape doing the job of my poor achilles tendons.  I have tendonitis on both sides (crappy running gait plus enthusiastically running up some hills last week) and have to start from scratch on learning to run :(  am frankly super shitty about it because I just did my first 5k run last week and I don't want to lose the hard work I did to build up to that.  I guess I need to remember if I don't do it the right way I will end up even more hobbled, but it's very hard to be patient!

Sore paws

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