Good evening Friends,
Sewing.patternreview.com is currently hosting a little white dress (LWD) contest (deadline tomorrow!) and I thought I would use it as an excuse to sew up this (now sold out), gorgeous Japanese cotton/poly/ elastane textured stretch woven fabric that I won from Tessuti last year in their gridlock contest.
The gist of the contest is to sew a classic white dress and photograph it accessorized for both day and evening wear. Pictures on that to follow. First let’s talk about the dress.
The pattern is Vogue 8972, from the latest Vogue pattern collection. Whilst this pattern doesn’t specifically suggest stretch wovens, it does suggest ponte double knits, so I though my heavy textured stretch woven would work with this pattern.
I have decided that white is like black. Hard to capture the real beauty of this particular fabric and the details. Anyway, this is not a hard dress to sew, as such, but it is fairly time consuming. I made view B and cut 19 individual pieces of the fashion fabric and 17 individual lining pieces. 19 + 17 = a lot of sewing in my book. And precise sewing at that. This dress won’t work unless you get the intersecting seams matched up fairly well. Also, much as this is beautiful fabric, it frays like the dickens, so every seam had to be sewn, overlocked, pressed and then most of them topstitched. I wish you could see the topstitching better.
Here’s a rear view:
And a side view:
Overall, I like the finished garment. I wore it today for a valentines lunch with my husband and it was very comfortable. The dress goes together very easily, and I sewed it practically straight out of the envelope, thanks to the custom fit cup sizing. It’s also fully lined. I lined it with a white pongee. I wanted to use something which had a little bit of stretch to it, and so I went with the pongee. I like how the instructions result in a nice clean finish around the sleeves.
Want to see my accessorized pictures? The first picture is my “day” picture – I am imagining going to an air hostess convention meeting friends for lunch. The second picture is my “night” picture – I am thinking date night out or drinks with the girls.
Pattern Review
Pattern Description:
Lined dress has close-fitting bodice, seam detail, skirt variations, and back zipper. Topstitching. Separate pattern pieces are included for cup sizes A, B, C, D. A, B and C: semi-fitted skirt, back hemline slit and stitched hem. B and F: unlined sleeves. D, E and F: narrow hem.
I made view B.
Pattern Sizing:
6 – 22
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes.
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Yes – except for the part about the hemline slit. I am going to have to go back and have another look at it. For now I have slip stitched it in place. I tried doing it the way the instructions say (I think), but the slit just wasn’t sitting right. I don’t know if it’s to do with the difference in weights/ stretch between my lining/ fashion fabric or something else.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I love the finished shape, and the finish inside. It’s a classic sheath dress but the middle yoke section adds a little something different. I love the shape particularly at the back. I can see this dress working in so many different fabrics. Nothing to dislike as such, although it might have been nicer to have specific lining pieces rather than having to cut everything again for the lining – there are a lot of pieces to this dress. I made view B and cut 19 individual pieces of the fashion fabric and 17 individual lining pieces.
Fabric Used:
A Japanese cotton/poly/ elastane textured stretch woven fabric that I won from Tessuti in a contest last year. Sadly now sold out. I used a pongee to line the dress.
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
Apart from a 0.5 inch sway back and taking a bit more than the recommended 5/8 inch seam allowance on the sides, nothing. I used an invisible zip.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I might, but then again, I might not 🙂 I would recommend it.
Conclusion:
I sewed pretty much all week to get this done, and I am very happy with the final result. This really is a classic sheath dress with a few additional details that elevate it above boring.
Have a great weekend everyone!
sewmanju 
This is gorgeous! You look amazing in this dress, simple is sexy! Thanks for sharing the pattern, I may need to make this one!
Thanks CJ. You would definitely look fab in this dress!
This is gorgeous on you and beautifully completed. I love your date night version. Well done and good luck in the competition!
Thank you aunty chacha.
Oh I’m so glad you made this up! You look awesome in this dress and now I know that it will work for me! So thank you for blazing the trail so that I can follow behind you. Hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day luncheon with the hubby!
Thanks Carolyn. Yes I can definitely see you working this dress. Had a lovely lunch date with Phil.
What a wonderful job you did. It looks stunning on you Thanks for sharing Ilse
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Thank you Ilse.
It’s beautiful! Fantastic job. I especially love the day look.
Thank you niema.
Well done and great choice of fabric! It looks great on you and I like both ways that you styled it. You are a fast sewer!
Thanks Roberta. I think I am getting faster with experience 🙂
Love the style lines and all the top stitching. Beautiful textured fabric too.
Thanks Jean Margaret.
You look stunning in your beautiful dress!
Thank you Sheenagh.
Very nice dress, you wear it well.
Thank you Tish.
You look fantastic in a fitted sheath dress. Nice job.
Thank you Faye.
This is a beautiful white dress! Good luck in the contest!
Thanks Vanessa.
Gorgeous!!! That’s a hot date dress, I hope your husband appreciates it when you dress like that on dates. Lucky man.
Ha thanks kat. He is a good husband 🙂
Gorgeous dress n so well made. I love the fabric. Good luck with the contest
Thanks Tracy.
Beautiful! You did an awesome job with the LWD
Thanks Alethia.
This dress is lovely, so simple but so stylish. I love both the ways you have styled it, but it looks particularly good with the yellow accessories.
Thanks Sam!
gorgeous I love it. You and I have a long distance sewing wavelength connection going on – I am just about to make this pattern and I was so wondering how it would look. I think you are one of the best “pattern choosers” in the blogosphere
Aw thanks so much Sam – blush. Can’t wait to see your finished version – then I can see what you did with the hemline slit as well 🙂 I always learn something useful from you.
Very nice… you definitely have a winning look!
Thank you Alethia.
That night look on you is one of the prettiest ways I’ve ever seen to style a Little White Dress. Wonderful, just wonderful dress!
Thanks Juliane.
Greetings from the Covet Fairy! Now you just carefully package that up- don’t forget the leopard purse- and send it on to me for further evaluation. Thank you, that is all!
Yes fairy I will send with the animal print blouse and necklace? 😉
Gorgeous! Beautiful fabric. ..love the yellow styling. ..
Thanks dae.
P.S. I hope you can follow what I’ve written as the paragraphs seems to have got all lumped together.
Kay I have replied to you by email. Thanks