Simplicity Itself

Or:  How I made a fairly simple pattern even simpler to sew (always a good thing to do!)
I really liked the style and shape of the dress on Simplicity pattern 1699. 

 It sort of goes in at the waist and then out again over the hips - rather like I do.  I have boobs and I have a bum - not all dresses realise this.
A toile in a size 12 told me a lot.  Mostly that some of me, but not all of me, is a size 12 (some of me is a size 14, gasp!)  It also told me what I'd read elsewhere - the neckline on this design is rather neck-chokingly high.

I made the toile from an Ikea 'Bargain Bin' duvet cover.  A highly recommended source for inexpensive fabrics.  For just a few euros you have several square metres of lightweight cotton fabric to play with. And it's destined to be a toile - so even the wackiest prints will do (and they definitely do wacky).

Then I did me some fabric shopping.  I came across a stretchy jersey fabric in a nice weight - not too flimsy, perfect for a dress.  And I had a plan - I figured if I used stretchy fabric I might not need to sew a (very long, very scary) zip into the back of the dress.  I might be able to just pull it on over my head, like a stretchy t-shirty sort of dress.

Because of what I'd learnt from the toile:
I cut the front bodice pieces in a size 10.
I cut the back bodice pieces in a size 12.
I cut the skirt pieces in a size 14.
I hoped and figured that the stretchiness would allow 3 different sizes to be nicely melded together.
And with the help of my overlocker, that's exactly what they did. Yay! (and phew!)

An overlocker - what a fabulous invention.  What a revelation to a dressmaker.  If you don't own one,  you should go straight out and buy one.
Every time you look inside one of your homesewn garments you think 'good golly, miss Dolly! did I really make this - it looks so Professionally Finished!'
Sewing stretchy stuff with an overlocker is a doddle, and more importantly - the seams  s-t-r-e-t-c-h!  Really, truly.
Yup - this was my first time sewing with stretchy stuff.  It will not be my last.

And the dress fits!  I can easily pull it on over my head.  Although I was sooo chuffed with myself that my head nearly got too big to take it off again.

  

 The sleeves are super easy to do - they're a raglan construction so you are not required to fit a sleeve into a vaguely sleeve-sized hole.  There's also a cute cutaway bit at the outer sleeve hem - cute, but a bit bulky if you overlock the edge of the fabric before hemming (more notes for future construction).

The neckline isn't brilliant.  It has opened out a little with the stretchyness but it's not very flattering.  I decided I'd do something different with that the next time I make the dress.
But for now I just sling a crocheted shawl around my neck and all is gorgeousness once more!
 

Afternote: Yes, I am good and angelic (in the sewing sense) in that I made me a toile, to test the pattern fit.
But I did not wash the fabric before I sewed with it.
My name is Jane.............. and I Never wash fabric before I sew with it.  Yes, you may gasp.
Anyway - the stretchy dress - it shrank in the wash.  But it actually fits even better now!
The shrinkage was mostly vertical.  I have a rather conservative idea of a 'proper' hem length - ie no knees on show please, you might scare the children.  Well it's not so conservative or proper any more.  Knees are being flashed.  No children have screamed yet, no horses have bolted, so I just keep wearing it.  Happy!