Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book - Floral Day Dress modified to v-neck top
2024-Nov-20, Wednesday 12:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chebeI have tried self-drafting basic blocks a few times before. Unfortunately I have not yet found any instructions that actually work for my body proportions. I have, however, gotten fairly competent at altering existing patterns. So how about I try that route instead?
Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book is a course in book form, about learning how to fit the basic blocks of dress patterns (from woven fabrics), and then mix-n-matching for near endless possible combinations. The Floral Day Dress project is the most basic there is; basic bodice, a-line skirt, no sleeves, all-in-one facing. The prefect place to start.
The size range in this book isn't the most inclusive, the largest size being a size 16; (full) bust 46" (116.8cm), waist 38" (96.5cm), hips 50" (127cm). Which isn't that far out for me, so I traced a size 16, and ended up making two partial mock-ups.
First, just the basic bodice. The size 16 bust and hips are slightly too big for me, but the waist is much too small. The first thing I do is just don't dart the waist darts, but keep the extra width. From there I set about fitting the front. I ended up moving the bust dart up into the armsyces, and adding a couple extra centimetres into the dart. Narrowed the shoulders by about 1". (All of which meant I had to redraw the armsyces.) I narrowed the back shoulders to match. And I took 1.5cm out of the top of the centre-back, on each side, narrowing to nothing about the level of the bottom of the armsyce.
The second mock-up started with just the basic bodice, with all the previous changes. Then some fine-tuning. From the back I pinched out 2cm from the centre-back length (near the waist), tapering to nothing at the side seams. I also added 0.5cm to each back side seam, tapering to nothing at the armsyce. For the front I added an additional 3cm at each front side seam, tapering to nothing at the armsyce. I also lowered the armcye a smidge.
Happy enough with the top, I traced the Pencil Skirt pieces, to the length of the Peplum. The skirt back has two darts, so all I did was reduce the smaller dart by 0.5cm, so the waistline matched the top. The skirt front was more complicated. I skipped the waist dart again, but it's only 2cm on the skirt, so I needed to add another 3cm just to account for the top waist dart. From the waist I slashed and pivoted, between the former-dart and the side seam. But then I needed the other 3cm I added to the top waist, which I simply added at the centre-front. Sewed the skirt on to the top, and happy enough with the fit I moved on to the real thing.
With all these changes, I had to re-draw the facings. I'm making a v-neck (same pattern as Basic Bodice, just different neckline), but the All-in-one Facing is only for the high round neck. So I combined the v-neck facing piece into the all-in-one while I'm redrawing the armsyces. I also traced the A-line Skirt, to Peplum length. Walking the waistlines has me add 1cm to the back skirt centre-back seam, and adding 8cm to the front skirt centre-front. Time to cut fashion fabric.
I'm using a 'tartan flannel', in 'dark' grey, 50% cotton 50% recycled polyester, 145gsm. I think 'dark' is a stretch. I'd call this a medium-leaning-light grey. But anyway. Matching thread is recycled Gütermann thread colour 701. Fusible interfacing is needed for the facings, and along the zipper seams. I used an invisible zip, 40-60cm, in black. (The book wants you to do a lapped zipper, but nah.) This fabric frays really badly so I finished all edges with the overlocker/serger before sewing. It does however iron beautifully, so the darts are delicious.
The fabric is more relaxed than the toiles, so it's not as crisp, which I'm not sure is a benefit. The v-neck is just about acceptable. And I'm sad I ever so slightly misaligned the fabric pattern on the peplum at the centre-front waistline. (But nothing a decorative belt won't disguise.) The zip is, not great. I've regressed. Otherwise it seems to fit okay. There might be too much space at the waist now, but I'll need to wear it for a while to get a feel for that. If I do keep that width I think I'll move the side seams forward, so the extra width is more evenly distributed. I can see this paired with the B6902 shorts, as a summer office outfit. Which means it might be a while before I get to wear test it.
Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book is a course in book form, about learning how to fit the basic blocks of dress patterns (from woven fabrics), and then mix-n-matching for near endless possible combinations. The Floral Day Dress project is the most basic there is; basic bodice, a-line skirt, no sleeves, all-in-one facing. The prefect place to start.
The pattern
The size range in this book isn't the most inclusive, the largest size being a size 16; (full) bust 46" (116.8cm), waist 38" (96.5cm), hips 50" (127cm). Which isn't that far out for me, so I traced a size 16, and ended up making two partial mock-ups.
First, just the basic bodice. The size 16 bust and hips are slightly too big for me, but the waist is much too small. The first thing I do is just don't dart the waist darts, but keep the extra width. From there I set about fitting the front. I ended up moving the bust dart up into the armsyces, and adding a couple extra centimetres into the dart. Narrowed the shoulders by about 1". (All of which meant I had to redraw the armsyces.) I narrowed the back shoulders to match. And I took 1.5cm out of the top of the centre-back, on each side, narrowing to nothing about the level of the bottom of the armsyce.
The second mock-up started with just the basic bodice, with all the previous changes. Then some fine-tuning. From the back I pinched out 2cm from the centre-back length (near the waist), tapering to nothing at the side seams. I also added 0.5cm to each back side seam, tapering to nothing at the armsyce. For the front I added an additional 3cm at each front side seam, tapering to nothing at the armsyce. I also lowered the armcye a smidge.
Happy enough with the top, I traced the Pencil Skirt pieces, to the length of the Peplum. The skirt back has two darts, so all I did was reduce the smaller dart by 0.5cm, so the waistline matched the top. The skirt front was more complicated. I skipped the waist dart again, but it's only 2cm on the skirt, so I needed to add another 3cm just to account for the top waist dart. From the waist I slashed and pivoted, between the former-dart and the side seam. But then I needed the other 3cm I added to the top waist, which I simply added at the centre-front. Sewed the skirt on to the top, and happy enough with the fit I moved on to the real thing.
With all these changes, I had to re-draw the facings. I'm making a v-neck (same pattern as Basic Bodice, just different neckline), but the All-in-one Facing is only for the high round neck. So I combined the v-neck facing piece into the all-in-one while I'm redrawing the armsyces. I also traced the A-line Skirt, to Peplum length. Walking the waistlines has me add 1cm to the back skirt centre-back seam, and adding 8cm to the front skirt centre-front. Time to cut fashion fabric.
The fabric
I'm using a 'tartan flannel', in 'dark' grey, 50% cotton 50% recycled polyester, 145gsm. I think 'dark' is a stretch. I'd call this a medium-leaning-light grey. But anyway. Matching thread is recycled Gütermann thread colour 701. Fusible interfacing is needed for the facings, and along the zipper seams. I used an invisible zip, 40-60cm, in black. (The book wants you to do a lapped zipper, but nah.) This fabric frays really badly so I finished all edges with the overlocker/serger before sewing. It does however iron beautifully, so the darts are delicious.
The fabric is more relaxed than the toiles, so it's not as crisp, which I'm not sure is a benefit. The v-neck is just about acceptable. And I'm sad I ever so slightly misaligned the fabric pattern on the peplum at the centre-front waistline. (But nothing a decorative belt won't disguise.) The zip is, not great. I've regressed. Otherwise it seems to fit okay. There might be too much space at the waist now, but I'll need to wear it for a while to get a feel for that. If I do keep that width I think I'll move the side seams forward, so the extra width is more evenly distributed. I can see this paired with the B6902 shorts, as a summer office outfit. Which means it might be a while before I get to wear test it.
V-neck bodice with a-line peplum, finished, back view
Photo by chebe
V-neck bodice with a-line peplum, finished, front view
Photo by chebe
