In Which I Butcher an FBA...

Well, as my trip to NYC (and my birthday) get closer I am filled with the overwhelming need to make a summer dress. This particular dress has been in my idea book for some time now and one of the things niggling at my brain to work on.


This particular pattern was an impulse buy as I was digging through the Vouge 3.99 pattern sale at JoAnn's. It looked like a great way to make the light and airy dresses needed for The South. And then came the idea of layering or lining sheer (and semi-sheer) fabrics from Threads #154.

So V8645 is basically an A-line Grecian style dress. Using the Palmer and Pletsch methodology I used size 18 based on my upper-bust measurement. And because this style of garment has very little need of 'fitting' I am not doing a toile and just doing a tissue fitting.

The tissue fitting told me two things. One: I needed to add 4 inches to the bust line and two, I need about .5 inches for the back.


I went with the Y Bust Dart Alteration* (p. 146-147 Fit for Real People) which is used for needing more than 2 inches in alteration. This also adds a dart to the front for shaping, which it seems I just can't get away from. Weee. Despite my fancy new washers paper weights, I still had to do some taping, which I also managed to iron, causing it to shrink and warp the pattern. *headdesk*


I widened the bust two inches to total four when all is said and done. I haven't quite decided how I'm going to add the .5 inches to the back. I only need it for the upper back. Wait, I think I just found the HOW on page 120. I <3 this book. So in any case, this is what I'm working on and I hope to have it done before Monday (I'm leaving on Wednesday after work).

I also have a second, more fancy, version of this dress planned with TWO sheer silks are layered. That one will most likely NOT be work appropriate, but we'll see.

*For a dress that is one long piece in the front such as this, I recommend cutting at the top "lengthen or shorten here" marking. That way you can make the adjustment to the top half and then tape the rest of it back on, cleaning up any of the cutting lines in the process.