Sewing review - McCalls 4826

Would you believe, I finished this more than a month back? I've been waiting for someone to come take a picture - I'm tired of the ones I take myself.


(I need to comb my hair.)

In my stash, I had the perfect fabric for this pattern. This pink & white striped seersucker just screamed Swiss Milkmaid! Summer! And so, I started making this dress.

I couldn't find a review that said this, but I must have a faulty pattern or something. The back skirt pattern piece was twice as wide as the front. When gathering the skirt to attach onto the bodice, it looked like I was wearing a bustle. And I have hips. Not a good look for me.

So, I ripped. (Of course.) Adjusted both the midriff piece to be shorter, and the skirt to be way less full. (If I make it again, I think I'll just use the front skirt pattern piece for both front and back.) Finished the dress, still wasn't loving it. Put it away. Tried it on a few weeks later, and loved it. Which is actually quite reassuring - since it means some of my UFOs might actually be worth finishing.

I didn't really look too much at the instructions, but I wish I had. The bodice is lined, and I should have made it so my zipper was enclosed between lining and bodice, versus right now, where its stitched on on top. Also different for me, this project - I didn't have an invisible zipper handy, so I used a regular zipper. It lies more or less flat, but it isn't perfect. Ah well.

But the dress is pretty. Toronto's rapidly transitioning to fall, so I won't get much (or any) use out of it this year. But I certainly have a jump on next summer!

Let me see - boring details - I made a size 10. To adjust for the petite thing, I just took off 2 inches at the midriff piece, didn't touch the bodice. (Except for putting the buttons in the halter where it fit me, not at the marked point.) And I shortened the skirt to just around knee-length, which is about the length I like.

Would I make this again? Probably not - my sewing list is large, and I need to go find a bra that will work with a halter top. However, I would recommend it, with the above caveat about the back skirt piece.