I have to finish the left armscye seam and add the shoulder pads/sleeve supports.
It totally had to have two rows of rick-rack on the skirt. Two rows at the neck, two rows on the pockets . . . why change? I sort of regret not doing a second row on the sleeves, at the sleeve openings.
The back neck slit. This is a bit rough. The neck facing didn't go on very well--need to re-draft that, too--and things got a big messy, but it's not so bad. And it's in the back, right?
This is a terrible picture, but the zipper is at least a little better. I basted it in and then topstitched it into place. Not very elegant, but sturdy and unobtrusive.
This is a pretty good pattern but there is a long list of things I either did a little wrong or will change when I make it again in the slate-blue calico.
1. Pattern is not very well drafted. The sleeve seam didn't match and the there was quite a bit of "easing" to get the front and back bodice pieces to fit along the shoulder seam. Need to re-cut sleeve and back armscye so that those pieces match.
2. On the View 2: I have never liked the idea of needing a side zipper on a dress that buttons down the front. I’ll try extending the front opening into the waistband and the top of the skirt (will use concealed buttons or hooks and bars if I don’t have enough maroon buttons) with a short placket. I’ll have to redraft the waistband to account for the extra length needed for the button overlap and to fold over a little on the inside so the lining fabric doesn’t show.
3. Need to re-draft waistband. Markings are confusing and instructions are very vague. Need one piece for the back (14" + seam allowance?) and two different pieces for the fronts, Views A (15" + seam allowance?) and B (15"/2 + button overlap + fold-over + seam allowance). View B also needs a front lining piece (15"/2 + seam allowance) if I want to make the outer pieces fold over. I made the waistband too small on Chicken Dress (27 inches! Good thing I started jogging again!); need to make it longer overall, probably 29 or 30 inches. Will measure original pattern pieces; it was supposed to be drafted for a 28-inch waist.
4. Very blousy and sort of big in the shoulders. Might reduce shoulder width and take it in another inch overall between neck and armscye only (no width out of neck opening). May also raise bust darts slightly; will see after I have the sleeve supports in.
5 5) The waist ties are useless. The waistband is fitted so the dress doesn't need ties for shape, and they are too short to tie in any but a short, stiff, uncomfortable bow. They either need to be cut about a foot longer or left off entirely. (I've never understood waist ties on housedresses. If you wear a housedress with waist ties and then put on an apron--as you're likely to do when wearing a housedress--then you have too many waist ties in one place.)
6. The original waistband is in one part. I’m changing this to two pieces 1) so the dress can be assembled flat, front and back, and 2) so the right-side waist tie can be set in the seam instead of tacked on the outside.
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