New Look 6301 Wrap Dress, View B
Size: Bodice size 12, hip size 14. This is 1 size down in bust and almost 3 sizes down in hip. I read comments that the dress was large so I sized down and actually did a tissue fitting!
Alterations: The tissue fitting showed me many areas to fix before cutting into my fabric.
- I took 1/2” tuck from neckline at the collarbone because of gaping there.
- I graded the bottom of the sleeve from a 12 to a 14 to accommodate my larger biceps.
- The sleeve cap had a whooping 2.5” of ease… in a knit!! My pet peeve. So I dropped the tall, narrow cap down about an inch – this gave me 1.25” in ease and also made it wider on top – this fits me much better at the shoulder than those tall sleeve caps.
- 1/2” swayback
- 1/2” forward shoulder adjustment
- 1/4” out of CB at neckline to 1/2” out at center back, then to 0” at bottom of bodice. The pattern has an outward curve in the mid back which was completely opposite of what I needed. This alteration straightened out the back and solved that issue.
- I cut the ties at the size 20 since many people complained how short they were.
- Skirt pieces 7 & 8 are the exact same so I just cut 2 of #7.
- I cut two of the front R pieces (#1) and didn’t bother with the front L piece.
Instructions: The instructions were ok. They explained what I needed to do and I had no issues with them. I did sew my dress up a bit different in order – easier in my mind. Pleated fronts, sewed to back at shoulder. Added front binding, sewed in ties to back. Then sewed sleeves in flat, and sewed up sides. I sewed skirts together and then sewed skirt to bodice in the round. It went together fairly quickly.
Fabric: Pattern calls for 2.5 yards fabric for my size. I somehow made this with only 1.5 yards. This fabric was from the Fabric Mart precut sale. I purchased it in Sept 2017 for $3.05 a yard; total $4.58 for this dress. It is listed as 92% Rayon/8% Lycra blend with 4 way stretch. The fabric is heavier than most rayon/lycra I own and so so soft. This fabric cut, sewed, and pressed like a dream.
Thoughts: I really love this dress! I was hoping it would work out since the fabric is super soft. I love the color, the drape, the look. I do find that the dress grows a little during the day and that the heavier fabric doesn’t have as much recovery as I would like. But, those are minor things. If I make the dress again (I already have plans for the tank view) then I want to take another whole inch out of the center back at the neckline – it is still a bit wide in back. I would also shorten the front bindings and make the front cross over tighter – but this may just be the fabric’s problem with the growing/recovery issue.
I think it’s a fantastic “fake” wrap dress pattern. I would recommend it to anyone!
Ottobre 02/2017 #11 – Tee Shirt Dress
Size: 42 for bust/waist to 46 at hip. Also made the sleeve 42 at the cap out to 44 at the hem (to gain some width at the bicep).
Alterations:
- 1/2” forward shoulder adjustment
Instructions: This is a simple T-shirt dress. I sewed it up without looking at the instructions. I sewed one shoulder, added neck binding, sewed other shoulder. Then I sewed in the sleeves and added binding to the bottoms of them. After this I just sewed up the side seams and hemmed it. It was super fast.
Fabric: 1.75 yards - Bright Turquoise/White 100% Cotton, Plus Sign Design, Interlock Knit – 60W; purchased Sept 2017 for $5.60 total also from Fabric Mart’s precut sale.
Thoughts: I made this for a nightgown, I love it for that purpose. A few days in MeMadeMay I just wore the dress all day. It is soft and comfortable, easy to throw on and go. The interlock is thicker and less stretchy than most knits but it works well in this dress. I have no complaints!
Here’s an updated look at how my Spring/Summer Sewing Plan is going:
Measurements at the time: High bust: 37, Bust 39, Waist 32, Hip 47
Date started and finished: 09/03/19, and then they sat for 3 years waiting for the top to be sewn.
Size sewn: 50
Alterations: added ¼” to front thigh at crotch tapering to 0 at inner thigh
Scooped ¼” off front crotch curve
Lowered front rise by 3.5”
Took in 1.5” on waist tapering to 0 at hip front and back
Fabric: 2 yards of a mystery fabric. It is polyester, shiny on one side with striations in the fabric and matte on the other. It is soft and silky feeling. I’m not sure what it is, except that it’s slipper and polyester. I got it when Hancock was going out of business. I had 10 freaking yards of this stuff, and it was only like $0.10/yard. lol. (Hancock label calls it "Dull satin" and internet searches call it hammered satin). I’ve had it in my stash for well over 10 years now. I used this fabric when I made my Jalie Melanie Kimono robe back in 2018 and I still have 3 yards left of it after this pj outfit.
Ottobre 02/2017 #13 Swing top:
Measurements at the time are the same as above for pants.
Date started: 09/03/19 Date finished: 10/28/22
Size sewn: 42 shoulder, 44 bust/waist, 50 hip
Alterations: added 2” to facing hem length so it wouldn’t cut me in the middle of the bust – well now my bust has grown with my weight, and it cuts me right in the middle.
Sewing: sewing the straps were a major pain in the ass with this silky, slippery fabric. Stuffing them into the back “holes” between the fabric and facing were a total challenge. Many swear words ensued.
I sewed a rolled hem instead of a flip and flip hem because I thought it would be easier on this silky, slippery fabric. I thought it would make the hem flare out cute too.
On the facing hem I did do a flip, flip and sew tiny ¼” hem.
Because the neck was already sewn up with the facing, under stitching the facing to the armpits absolutely sucked and was darn near impossible.
Fabric: 2 yards of the same fabric as for pants
Thoughts: Well, this is the right type of fabric for this pj set but I hated sewing with it. It was such a pain. I do love the pants. They are fun and slippery to wear. The top seems huge and sack-like. It is not very flattering at all. I’m not sure how I feel about it yet. I’ll give it a wear for awhile before I decide. I think that now that I gained weight I’m not used to my body or comfortable with it. My bust has grown quite a bit and it makes the tops seem huge and sack-like on me, while it eliminates my waist. I must fit the bust and this makes the waist bigger. Back in 2019 when I started this my bust was 39 inches. It had been that way for a long time, and I was used to it. Now here in 2022 I have a 42” bust and those 3” make a big difference, lol. My waist went from a stable 32” to a thyroid belly of 39” – that’s been the hardest to accept.
Ottobre 02/2017 #11 – Tee Shirt Dress
Made once before in June 2018, my blue crosses nightgown. If I fit in it, I would still wear it. I love it.
My measurements at the time: 38 high bust, 42 bust, 38.5 waist, 49 hips
Started and finished sewing: 10/31/22
Size Sewn: Bust 46, Waist 50, Hip 52
Alterations: I didn’t sew this with bindings, I used neckbands (at ½”) and sleeve bands (at ¾”)
1/2” forward shoulder adjustment
After sewing I tried it on and it was way too big in the neck and bust so I took out 2” at the neck tapering down 11” to 0 at about the waist area. In the future I would make the bust 44 and the waist 48 instead of 46/50. (left picture above is before altering when it was way too big. right picture is the pieces I took out from neck to about waist. I basically made a dart in the center back).
Instructions: This is a simple T-shirt dress. I sewed it up without looking at the instructions. It was super-fast.
Fabric: 2 yards - White/Fuchsia/Turquoise/Multi 100% Cotton Plus Sign Design Interlock Knit; purchased Feb 2018 in Fabric Mart’s wonderful precut sale. 2 yards for $3.20 total. (Please bring back the precut sale!!).
Thoughts: I made this for a nightgown, I love it for that purpose. Let’s be real here, I don’t leave the house unless I have a doctor’s appointment, so many times I just wear the nightgown all day. It is soft and comfortable, easy to throw on and go. The interlock is thicker and less stretchy than most knits, but it works well in this dress. I have no complaints!
Health and Life update:
Wow, we have had a hard couple months here in the SunnySewing house. I feel like I say that all the time, but really, these last 3 months have been hard. So my soulmate, love of my life, Cheeto had to have Knee,acl surgery in November. I embroidered his soft cone, but funny enough, he was never interested in licking his leg so he wore it maybe 2 hours and one night.
Now this surgery is a 3 month recovery and that all falls on me…… To make this worse, the VERY SAME DAY Kiela came down with Covid….. 3 days later I got it…. and 2 days later my husband got it. It was ROUGH. a dog with recent surgery and 3 people so sick they couldn't get out of bed. we were all miserable. We all had our vaccinations and boosters but man that stuff hit us HARD and FAST and omg it lasted forever. I think I’m finally ( a month later) back to my normal cruddy self. Now sadly the worst part. My husbands Grandma that I love dearly passed away just as we were getting over Covid. She lost her battle with cancer. It was so sad and so hard. During Christmas I kept reaching for the phone to call her, text her, ask her questions or share what decorations of hers we put up (as we called her every year about these things). I loved her as my own Grandma, she was the best. Oh, and Tayden (now 20yrs old), moved out with his friend to be closer to college. I thought I would be more happy about that but I’m so worried and its weird with him gone from the house.
So yeah, not so fun stuff around here. that covid knocked me so hard I haven’t been able to do much these last 2 months in my sewing room. But I have a backlog again of projects to share. And Feb 28 I have my yearly MRI to see what George the Tumor is up too.
I hope all is well with all of you and that you had wonderful holidays!
Happy Sewing!
Kristin
