A seriously classy maxi

Hi there!

Firstly I’d like to say thank you to everyone who commented on my last post; I was rather overwhelmed by the response to be honest.  So many thoughtful, lovely comments here, on Facebook and on Instagram; thank you all so very much.

Today, normal service will be resumed with my latest post for the Minerva Crafts Blogger Network.  Given the depressingly grey and cold weather going on around here (my winter boots came out today, which is just criminal) it seems like a very long time since I made this, despite the fact that it’s currently hanging up to dry in the laundry room downstairs!

Anyway, I think this may be my new favourite summer maxi pattern.  It’s the Named patterns “Kielo” dress and is a wrap over maxi dress.

It’s been around a little while now and been a slow burner for me; I dismissed it out of hand the first time I saw it as being way too cool for me! But I’ve seen some lovely versions recently, and finally the one Shauni is wearing in this post tipped me over the edge.

 

 

The viscose jersey I chose to sew it up in is truly lovely; it hangs beautifully but behaved well whilst sewing up and seems to require no ironing at all; total bonus!  I was concerned it would be a little lightweight for hemming and so taped the hem up using Wondertape before hemming.  I’ve only recently discovered this stuff and it really is amazing, giving the fabric the body it needed to lie flat under the needle and holding everything in place so much more neatly than pins would.

I finished the neck and armholes using the jersey binding method in the pattern instructions; the only difference was that because I’d run out of fabric, I cut across rather than along the grainline.  Because this fabric had lots of stretch in both directions I got away with it!

 

 

If I were to make it again (which, given I’ve discovered there’s a pattern extension for sleeves on Named’s site for free, I probably will) I would;

• remove around 1.5cm at both the bust and the hem; I hemmed at 6m instead of 2 so this would still give me a deep hem, whilst also raising the waist slightly which would feel better
• raise point at which the back hem stops into the vent higher; there has been the slightly ominous sound of stitches giving way when lunging after children so I can see there being repairs needed in the near future!
• raise the armholes slightly as my bra shows a little on this one!

For more details, head over to Minerva Crafts and read my full review.

Becca x

 

Details

Pattern : Named Patterns “Kielo wrap dress”

Measurements: bust 34″; waist 31″; hips 41″

Size cut: 38 (should in theory be too big but there were 20″ spare at the hip line so I thought I might just get away with it!)

Adjustments made: None

Future adjustments: remove length from bust and hem; raise armholes; make back vent a little higher

Make again? Yes