Blowball wrap dress (v8896)
I am completely obsessed with wrap dresses right now. I have a pinterest board with 35 pins and counting. I own approximately 10 wrap dress patterns. Now I have to make ALL THE WRAP DRESSES.
The wonderful thing about wrap dresses is there are no closures! And they are so very flattering. I made this dress before the announcement of the #sewtogetherforsummer instagram challenge hosted by, among others, Sew Sarah Smith. The rules are pretty simple: sew a wrap dress! Contest closes 1 June 2018. Go check out her blog post for more information about the contest rules.
The pattern I used is Vogue 8896. It features a bias bodice, gathers at shoulders and waist, and a flared skirt (I think it’s a half circle). What I changed from the pattern is that I added pockets, lengthened the bodice, and took out the center back seam on the skirt. I actually think my versions look better than the ones in the catalogue. I don’t have the same billowing at the front waistline. Maybe because my fabric is thicker, or maybe I could have made a size larger (I made a size 12, but according to the size chart I should be a 14-16).
This is actually my second version of this dress. The first was a wearable muslin. Very wearable. I mean, I’ve washed an worn it so many times the past few months that it’s pilling and not very pretty for putting on the blog anymore. The difference with this version is I lengthened the bodice by 2.5cm. I could maybe make it 3cm, but I think over time it’ll stretch out a little bit, as my first one did. Even the fabric is the same as the first one, just a different colour. I got the fabric from https://www.unistoffen.nl/ and I’m very pleased with the price/quality ratio. They sell the same fabrics at my local fabric shop for more.
I’m not sure I’ll add pockets to this pattern again. They don’t lay very nicely in my opinion. I really have to adjust them to make sure they lay right. I used the pocket pattern from Tilly and the Buttons. I might try to add pockets again in a woven fabric instead so that they retain their shape better.
Now if you excuse me, I have another wrap dress in my sewing queue…