I was terribly inspired by one of the ladies who works in my office building. She showed up yesterday wearing a kimono-dress done in black knit, and it was utterly adorable. I wanted - no, nay, needed - to have one.
So on the way home from work last night, I stopped by JoAnn's and picked up the McCall's knockoff pattern of the Duro Dress, and found some *wonderful* linen-cotton blends in the clearance section. All of the "normal" linen/cotton blends were still full price, but they had a bunch of the funkier stuff on clearance. I found an *amazing* chocolate brown linen with turquoise embroidered flowers, scattered with turquoise sequins - and a turquoise linen that matched perfectly. Also a natural linen/cotton with pink/blue/sage green paisley embroidery, and some plain chocolate brown linen to match.
I made the brown/turquoise version last night, and it went together *very* easily. I made the short-sleeved version, and it's amazingly cool and comfortable - especially on days like today. The dress is a bit low-cut, but I tend to wear low-cut stuff anyway, so it doesn't bother me. Other folks who have made the pattern modify it slightly so it's less cleavage-revealing. (I don't have much in the bosom department, so I like to work what I have. *grin*) Sizing, for me, was true to my standard dress size - at this point I'm a 6 or an 8 (thanks to the pre-wedding "ZOMG I'M SO STRESSED I'M NOT GOING TO EAT ANYTHING" diet!), and I cut out the 6. Others have said that it runs a bit on the big side, and recommend cutting a size smaller than you usually do. More pattern reviews here!
The pattern pieces went together *beautifully* - there was no fiddling necessary at all. I ended up just using the regular machine instead of serging it together, since I wanted to be able to seam-rip if necessary. The natural/brown one will be more professionally finished on the inside.
Pattern Description:
Kimono-style "Duro" dress - A-line skirt, self-faced banded neckline, contrasting band at hem and waist.
Pattern Sizing:
AA (6-8-10-12) and EE (14-16-18-20). I typically wear a dress size 6 or 8 (depending on the style - I'm a bit hippy, so fitted skirts necessitate the 8, A-lines and fuller skirts I usually wear a 6), and cut this out in a 6.
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yep! I made version A, the short-sleeved one.
Were the instructions easy to follow?
Very easy. The pattern illustrations were clear, and the sequence overall made perfect sense.
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
The pattern pieces all went together perfectly - there was no weird fiddling with ease that you get with other patterns. Others have stated that it's too low-cut - and it IS a bit low-cut, but I like a little cleavage. ;)
Fabric Used:
Linen/cotton blend. It has a great drape to it, without being too floofy. I made this as a dress to wear to work, but it could easily be made as a more formal/evening dress by doing it in silks - or those pretty "chinese" brocades that Joann's often has on sale.
Pattern Alterations or any design changes you made:
For my first one, I followed the pattern to a T. My only complaint is that the armholes are a bit wide/gaping, which makes it necessary to wear a camisole/tank top underneath it if you don't want your bra to show. For my next one, I'm going to simply sew a little further up on the side seams, hopefully alleviating this issue.
The only other alteration that I made was that I slip-stitched the back facing down. I just think it lies a little better with it permanently attached.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I will definitely sew this again - probably a few more times. I have another set of linen/cotton fabrics already washed and ready to go, and plan on going through my stash of leftover quilting fabrics to see if I have any pieces large enough to make into a more casual/fun one for weekend wear. I'm also picturing one done in wool flannel, lined in linen for the winter. Because I'm just that kooky.
Conclusion
A super-fun pattern that can be dressed up or down very easily, depending on the fabrics you choose. Great for beginners, since it doesn't have any fiddly zippers or buttons to mess around with. The neckline can be a bit fiddly, but as long as you take your time and have a little patience, you'll get great results. This dress is a *great* confidence booster for the new sewer!
I've already received compliments from two random strangers, though, so I'm counting this one as a "success". :)
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