I have some finishing work to do on this but I think I can post a review anyway.
Full disclosure: I received this pattern free of charge in exchange for agreeing to test-sew it and complete a pattern review.
Full disclosure: I received this pattern free of charge in exchange for agreeing to test-sew it and complete a pattern review.
Pictures of the finished dress will go up soon, I hope. I'm having camera-battery issues. As in, it's completely dead because I can't find my battery charger. Sigh.
Wearing History 3015 is a reprint of a mid-1930's day dress. I believe the original pattern was a 16 (Bust 34) and Lauren has drafted additional sizes. The pattern is available in A (Sizes 12, 14, 16 - Bust 30, 32, 34) and B (Sizes 18, 20, 40 - Bust 36, 38, 40) ranges. Mine is from the B range and I used the Size 18/Bust 36 size. I made View 1 with the bodice overlap, band collar, and novelty sleeves.
I debated what fabric I wanted to use for this. I really wanted to use one of the fabrics suggested on the pattern packet, or at least one similar to it, but I'm used to using plain old cotton calico and muslin. I eventually decided that, since I was on a schedule with this, I would get better results if I weren't trying to sew faster and get used to a new fabric at the same time, and went with a homespun-type cotton that had a soft weave and a drape that I liked. My color choices were limited so I used dark blue with white/blue/yellow plaid facings, and yellow buttons. (That, and I found the buttons first and they were so awesome that I just had to make them work. But they didn't come in blue.)
Wearing History 3015 is a reprint of a mid-1930's day dress. I believe the original pattern was a 16 (Bust 34) and Lauren has drafted additional sizes. The pattern is available in A (Sizes 12, 14, 16 - Bust 30, 32, 34) and B (Sizes 18, 20, 40 - Bust 36, 38, 40) ranges. Mine is from the B range and I used the Size 18/Bust 36 size. I made View 1 with the bodice overlap, band collar, and novelty sleeves.
I debated what fabric I wanted to use for this. I really wanted to use one of the fabrics suggested on the pattern packet, or at least one similar to it, but I'm used to using plain old cotton calico and muslin. I eventually decided that, since I was on a schedule with this, I would get better results if I weren't trying to sew faster and get used to a new fabric at the same time, and went with a homespun-type cotton that had a soft weave and a drape that I liked. My color choices were limited so I used dark blue with white/blue/yellow plaid facings, and yellow buttons. (That, and I found the buttons first and they were so awesome that I just had to make them work. But they didn't come in blue.)
I know that redrafted patterns sometimes cause concern so let me lay any fears to rest: I didn't have any problems that could be attributed to the pattern having been redrafted in a different size. Actually, I didn't have any problems at all that weren't either expected because they are alterations I have to make to most patterns I use, or that weren't "user error."
The two things that stood out for me were:
1) This is not a beginner pattern. It's not a difficult pattern but there are plenty of curved seams and bound buttonholes, and the overlapping-front design necessitates an assembly that is not entirely intuitive. I would consider myself an advanced beginner-to-intermediate seamstress and I could handle it fine, but it's not the pattern on which to begin your dressmaking endeavors. (This from the person whose first dress attempt involved curved seams, extensive use of piping trim, and a unidirectional print. Doh!)
I should add: I am not complaining at all about the more-complex aspects of the pattern. They aren't that difficult and the design makes it all absolutely worthwhile. All the pieces fit beautifully and I had no trouble at all with facings that didn't match up, pieces that were too big or too small, seams that were impossible because the edges of the pieces involved were different lengths, etc. Everything was very carefully done and went together without a hitch.
Another confession: I made a hare-brained mistake involving the left-front bodice. Somehow, I forgot that the band collar had to attach to the neckline of the bodice and couldn't figure out why the left bodice was 1/2-inch short along the shoulder seam. I even emailed Lauren to ask about it, only to do a total *facepalm* later when I realized what was going on. I don't know where I was that week--abducted by aliens, perhaps--especially considering I've made a dress before that had a similar wrap-over bodice and collar. Aargh! At any rate, that was my big "user error." Don't do what I did! Keep your wits about you.
The two things that stood out for me were:
1) This is not a beginner pattern. It's not a difficult pattern but there are plenty of curved seams and bound buttonholes, and the overlapping-front design necessitates an assembly that is not entirely intuitive. I would consider myself an advanced beginner-to-intermediate seamstress and I could handle it fine, but it's not the pattern on which to begin your dressmaking endeavors. (This from the person whose first dress attempt involved curved seams, extensive use of piping trim, and a unidirectional print. Doh!)
I should add: I am not complaining at all about the more-complex aspects of the pattern. They aren't that difficult and the design makes it all absolutely worthwhile. All the pieces fit beautifully and I had no trouble at all with facings that didn't match up, pieces that were too big or too small, seams that were impossible because the edges of the pieces involved were different lengths, etc. Everything was very carefully done and went together without a hitch.
Another confession: I made a hare-brained mistake involving the left-front bodice. Somehow, I forgot that the band collar had to attach to the neckline of the bodice and couldn't figure out why the left bodice was 1/2-inch short along the shoulder seam. I even emailed Lauren to ask about it, only to do a total *facepalm* later when I realized what was going on. I don't know where I was that week--abducted by aliens, perhaps--especially considering I've made a dress before that had a similar wrap-over bodice and collar. Aargh! At any rate, that was my big "user error." Don't do what I did! Keep your wits about you.
2) Make a muslin. Yes, I know many of you do this as a matter of routine, but if you're not consistent about it, know right now that you need to do it for this. Again, it's not a drafting issue, but the dress is intended to have a very specific type of fit--close over the hips, blousy-but-not-too-blousy bodice, snug band collar--that will definitely require fine-tuning to look as it was meant to look. The collar and cuffs fit rather tightly and you'll want to size them before you start cutting your "good" fabric; I have a long, thin, neck and lean wrists and I still had to enlarge the neck slightly, and the cuffs fit fine but without extra room; I imagine they wouldn't on someone whose arms are less bony. (I also had to cut the hips one size larger, and I added a dart on each side of the back to help take up the difference, but this is an alteration I have to make a lot because my waist and bust are "proportional" according to pattern measurements, but my hips and backside are at least a size larger.)
I have a long torso and I'm 5'7", which is not technically "tall" but is tall enough that I have to check lengths of things before I start cutting and sewing. I don't usually need to lengthen bodices because most of them look better on me if the waist is a half-inch or so high, but I ended up adding an inch and a quarter to this one or the bodice would have been pulled tight from shoulder to waist instead of blousing a little at the waist like it should.
If you're a rank newbie to the world of bound buttonholes, you might want to find more detailed instructions, for moral support if nothing else. I love this tutorial at Sew-4-Fun. There are instructions in the pattern direction, and many of you are surely less timid seamstresses than I am, so this isn't really a big issue. I just needed some extra hand-holding. (Yeah, I know--Bawk, bawk! Chicken!)
Overall, though, I love this pattern and I learned a lot. I don't know why I resisted learning bound buttonholes for so long--they're not hard and they look so incredibly awesome. I'm also a topstitching fiend and there are lots of opportunities to topstitch on this pattern. I really look forward to making it again once I'm comfortable sewing with more appropriate fabrics. I have several color combinations in mind that I think will do it far more justice than navy blue, which looks nice but swallows up the Art Deco design.
Comments
I think that working is the only thing that keeps me from running myself into the ground doing all my hobbies. It forces me to slow down and sleep at night. Otherwise, I'd be sewing, drawing, playing music 22 hours out of 24 and I'd die of exhaustion.
It's a lot less fun this way, though.