Happy Monday friends! Can I share the goodness that is my new wrap dress? Ever since I made the Tecoma blouse I’ve started embracing more wrap silhouettes.
The Elodie dress is new from Closet Core Patterns. It comes in three views I believe, the knee length, the midi and the maxi with two variations of sleeve lengths.
I chose the midi length with the dolman elbow length sleeves. My fabric is a double gauze -which was a learning experience in itself. I picked up 4 yards of fabric from Mood. So here’s a few things I learned about double gauze.
- Pre-wash. I’m faithful to the pre-washing process, but if you aren’t, you gonna learn tuh-day! I bought 4 yards but when it got done going through the wash I swear I had 3 yards. I might be exaggerating, but the feeling was real! I later read that I should’ve let it air dry instead of put it in the dryer.
- It’s stretchy. The good thing about the instructions is that I already had to stay stitch several pattern pieces. But I think about the disaster of a project if I underestimated the stretchiness AND didn’t stay stitch. The horror!
- Press…with steam. One more time for the people in the back. Press. With steam.
- The good part? This fabric feels like pillows on my body!
Now for the pattern…I’m a huge fan of Closet Core Patterns. I feel like Heather not only creates great patterns that work as great staples for a handmade closet, but also that the patterns are very thoughtful.
There’s always something significant to learn in the patterns. I’ve made a few other wrap dresses before, but no one ever outlined how (directionally) you should sew your bodice facing to avoid gapping …which is something I’ve always noticed in the past, until this pattern.
I also appreciate the stay stitching instructions that include the arrows to show which direction you should be stitching. See? Little things like that, make CCP stand out.
The only part I did not enjoy is the construction of the waistband. Partly because I was working with double gauze (super thick) and also because I very much dislike slip stitching. Take heed to my advice, grade your seams, and if you think you did all you could do, I bet there’s more seams to grade. She mentions it in the directions but, I’ll emphasize it here….grade your seams.
If I had to make this pattern again (which is very possible), I think I will stay stitch the skirt hemline as well. I realized that the back of skirt stretched a bit. Even though I don’t hate it for this particular style, I know that it’s not part of the original design and I will probably want a straight hem if I made the mini or the maxi.
Overall this was an easy assemble! Until next time….
RAVEN MAUREEN 