I finished a Sewaholic Cambie Dress months ago (I think mid-2013, maybe June or July) and have never worn it with the exception of fittings and for this blog. I immediately put it in the closet after making it because everything felt so anticlimactic when I finished it. I had some design issues with this dress, which is why I'm so underwhelmed with it, but none of the issues are attributable to the pattern. The pattern is fantastic, I'll get to it in a minute.
My first issue is that I bought a very see-through voile from Hawthorne Threads (by the way, totally love that shop!). I loved the print when I saw it online and was so excited to buy it, but then I received it in the mail and was so disappointed with how thin it was (I guess that's voile for you). It also doesn't help that the fabric is basically white....not sure why I didn't think about that before purchasing it. After I got the fabric I became very concerned about how well it would work with a dress (also, I really need to start buying swatches). Since I didn't want to make a see-through dress I bought a very thick white lining fabric from Mood, but then I contemplated for weeks whether it was actually lining fabric. When I bought it I thought it would be perfect because it would prevent my dress from being see-through, but then I kept wondering how it would alter the drape of the dress. So I went from an ultra high when buying the fabric to a total dud after buying the lining and then I let the fabric and pattern sit in a bag for months while I decided what to do. Months later I eventually decided to tackle the project with the voile and heavy lining.
{Side note: does anyone ever buy nice-ish fabric and worry about ruining it, but after letting it sit for a really long time you eventually decide that it's ok if you ruin it because you haven't used it in ages and it's sort of a sunk cost at that point?? I seem to do this pretty frequently...}
Anyway, I decided to make a straight neckline modification since I'm not that into sweetheart necklines. I also saw Susie Homemaker's version where she moved the zipper to the side and I loved that idea. I cut all my fabric without realizing what the back neckline would look like without the zipper. In hindsight I would have preferred a more scooped look as opposed to an almost V-shape.
I initially made version B, the one with the full skirt. However, after I put the skirt and bodice pieces together (including the lining and zipper!!!) and tried it on I realized it was not meant to be for this dress. The thick lining ended up totally poofing out the skirt at the gathered waist. My hips looked enormous, like I was wearing a petticoat with ample fullness right at the hips. Not that there's anything wrong with petticoats....just not the look I was going for. I didn't want to scrap the whole dress so I took apart the dress and re-cut the skirt pieces for the other version.
The voile did not hold up well with the unpicking, but it somehow managed not to rip outright. Version A worked out much, much better with the voile/thick lining combo. A much sleeker profile for my ultra petite frame. I'm not 100% happy with the sleeves because my bra strap will occasionally peek out. I couldn't figure out for the life of me where the sleeves should be attached. The sleeves look so cute on every other version I've seen, but I'm really not feeling them on me. I think I need to narrow them at the shoulder, but widen them at the bust.
Anyway, despite loving the fabric while looking at it online, I like it less as a dress because I feel like I have frosting, when I intended to make cake. I don't see myself wearing this to work or anywhere on a normal day or weekend. It just wasn't what I intended. I was too drawn to the fabric without thinking how it would actually look as a dress. I really need something darker, less see-through, less dainty to have it be part of my everyday wardrobe. So...lesson learned!
In terms of the pattern, it is very well constructed. I think this was my first time inserting a zipper with a lined garment and it went exceptionally well thanks to the instructions. That Tasia sure does make things easy!
I'm not giving up on this pattern entirely. I need to find the right fabric and then adjust the sleeves to suit my frame better.
Oh, and this is the only photo of me wearing the dress, because somebody can now barely fit in the dress. I swear it fit much better when I made it..........
Anyway, where am I going to wear this dress? To a baby shower? Tea party? The Derby? I think I might donate it because I just don't see myself wearing it.
Details:
Pattern: Sewaholic Cambie Dress, Size 2
Fabric: Cotton Voile (Alexander Henry) purchased from Hawthorne Threads
Lining: really thick lining from Mood (no clue what the content is, most likely polyester)
Modifications: Straight neckline; side zipper
My first issue is that I bought a very see-through voile from Hawthorne Threads (by the way, totally love that shop!). I loved the print when I saw it online and was so excited to buy it, but then I received it in the mail and was so disappointed with how thin it was (I guess that's voile for you). It also doesn't help that the fabric is basically white....not sure why I didn't think about that before purchasing it. After I got the fabric I became very concerned about how well it would work with a dress (also, I really need to start buying swatches). Since I didn't want to make a see-through dress I bought a very thick white lining fabric from Mood, but then I contemplated for weeks whether it was actually lining fabric. When I bought it I thought it would be perfect because it would prevent my dress from being see-through, but then I kept wondering how it would alter the drape of the dress. So I went from an ultra high when buying the fabric to a total dud after buying the lining and then I let the fabric and pattern sit in a bag for months while I decided what to do. Months later I eventually decided to tackle the project with the voile and heavy lining.
{Side note: does anyone ever buy nice-ish fabric and worry about ruining it, but after letting it sit for a really long time you eventually decide that it's ok if you ruin it because you haven't used it in ages and it's sort of a sunk cost at that point?? I seem to do this pretty frequently...}
Anyway, I decided to make a straight neckline modification since I'm not that into sweetheart necklines. I also saw Susie Homemaker's version where she moved the zipper to the side and I loved that idea. I cut all my fabric without realizing what the back neckline would look like without the zipper. In hindsight I would have preferred a more scooped look as opposed to an almost V-shape.
I initially made version B, the one with the full skirt. However, after I put the skirt and bodice pieces together (including the lining and zipper!!!) and tried it on I realized it was not meant to be for this dress. The thick lining ended up totally poofing out the skirt at the gathered waist. My hips looked enormous, like I was wearing a petticoat with ample fullness right at the hips. Not that there's anything wrong with petticoats....just not the look I was going for. I didn't want to scrap the whole dress so I took apart the dress and re-cut the skirt pieces for the other version.
The voile did not hold up well with the unpicking, but it somehow managed not to rip outright. Version A worked out much, much better with the voile/thick lining combo. A much sleeker profile for my ultra petite frame. I'm not 100% happy with the sleeves because my bra strap will occasionally peek out. I couldn't figure out for the life of me where the sleeves should be attached. The sleeves look so cute on every other version I've seen, but I'm really not feeling them on me. I think I need to narrow them at the shoulder, but widen them at the bust.
Anyway, despite loving the fabric while looking at it online, I like it less as a dress because I feel like I have frosting, when I intended to make cake. I don't see myself wearing this to work or anywhere on a normal day or weekend. It just wasn't what I intended. I was too drawn to the fabric without thinking how it would actually look as a dress. I really need something darker, less see-through, less dainty to have it be part of my everyday wardrobe. So...lesson learned!
In terms of the pattern, it is very well constructed. I think this was my first time inserting a zipper with a lined garment and it went exceptionally well thanks to the instructions. That Tasia sure does make things easy!
I'm not giving up on this pattern entirely. I need to find the right fabric and then adjust the sleeves to suit my frame better.
Oh, and this is the only photo of me wearing the dress, because somebody can now barely fit in the dress. I swear it fit much better when I made it..........
Anyway, where am I going to wear this dress? To a baby shower? Tea party? The Derby? I think I might donate it because I just don't see myself wearing it.
Details:
Pattern: Sewaholic Cambie Dress, Size 2
Fabric: Cotton Voile (Alexander Henry) purchased from Hawthorne Threads
Lining: really thick lining from Mood (no clue what the content is, most likely polyester)
Modifications: Straight neckline; side zipper
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