Brown plaid dress: Input needed

I've been a terrible blogger lately. Things have been a little hectic but none of it was worth blogging, so I sort of let it go.

I've had more false and non-starts on sewing projects this year than I care to think about, so I think maybe I need an easy project that doesn't require a lot of tweaking or fitting to be a success. Lazy, yes, but sometimes you need a mounting block to get back in the saddle, right?

Anyway, I need input. I've already gotten one vote for McCall's 4966 (see below) from somebody on the Fashion/Sewing group on Facebook, and I think the idea is starting to grow on me. Take a look and see what you think, if you have a minute.

So, the fabric is similar to this:

The actual fabric is more rust-colored. The largest squares are about an inch and half, so I'd call it a medium-scale plaid. I think it's Moda but I forget offhand. Yarn-dye "homespun", which means it's lightweight and slightly loose-weave.

I've sort of decided I want:
1) A shoulder yoke or neck facing. Maybe.
2) No waistline. I'll make a separate waist tie but I can also wear it with a belt.
3) Either long, full, sleeves with cuffs or elbow-length sleeves with permanent cuffs, as seen here.
4) A collar.
5) Patch pockets. Maybe.

The original plan was Butterick 4352 (1975), which I love but which, logically, seems like a poor choice. For one, those front gathers make me think it will look like a maternity dress, and I'm somehow not crazy about the long vertical neck facing. I was going to trim down the high sleeve caps, anyway, and shrink the gigantic Seventies aero-collar.

I also feel like a have a lot of these loose Seventies shift dresses and that this is not one of my favorites, and should probably be culled and resold.

McCall's 4813 (1975) was another choice, although I've also planned to make it out of small red and white windowpane check. I have so many patterns that making one twice seems silly. However, I do like the shoulder yoke and the collar. I feel like this dress wants a collar. (The belt would not be attached, and the collar would be cut down and reshaped to a pointed, rather than a lobed, one.

Simplicity 9778 (1971): I hadn't thought of this one but it's a possibility despite not having the collar I thought I wanted. It would have the band collar and be made at midi-length, probably without a ruffle. Basically, the dress on the left, but shorter. It would have cuffed sleeves instead of elastic wrists.

McCall's 4966 (1975): I totally overlooked this one. View A (blue dress on the left) is also a very good possibility.

Simplicity 7191 (1975): Not really in the running, but not totally out. I sort of meant to wear this dress over a henley in the winter, though, and this looks less comfortable for that purpose than the others.