Miss Celie

Pattern Review: Patrones 267-13

This is my first non-Burda Foreign Pattern Magazines for 2010. If you recall, my sewing resolution is to not purchase fabric in 2010 and make every other garment or one a month from my assortment of La Mia Boutiques, Patrones, Mrs. Stylebooks, etc. I’ll have to check, but I think this is my second completed Patrones!  (**EDIT.  This is my *fourth*. I didn’t count my beloved Roberto Musso skirt,  Vero Mondo skirt and a Chloe skirt ) My first Patrones is a shirt two years ago. I seem to be a 42 in Patrones and most definitely need a FBA!

I think I’m going to keep up with the woven dresses! I love how professional they look. Yes, I will always have a soft spot for knits. But, for the daily work life, woven dresses are it. They seem so much more tailored and put together and a better substitute for wearing a suit.  You can see above that I’m imitating the model from #267 Patrones. I even found a smiliar style belt at Forever 21. But, truthfully, the dress might look better beltless after all the alterations I made.

The fabric is a poly/wool men’s suiting from my local Gus Woolen. It’s a men’s suit fabric store in downtown Baltimore. I like them for their non-traditional suiting geared to the black male  community.  But, they keep banker’s hours. You know, 10 to 3 on days that don’t end in ‘y’.  But, great great stuff and they sell loads of skirt lengths at a discount.

There is bagging at the waist because  I suspect that I put the waistband in upside down. One of the reasons the belt is not great is because of the gathering and wrinkles it can cause. I used pre-purchased red piping to pick up the red woven stripes in the suiting. You know, red is actually my favorite color — not pink. But, I really like pink accessories.

Pattern Alterations:  My colleague brought me several bras from her trip home to Ukraine.  Why? Because they fit well and are $20 a pop. But, they have made the bust in my last two garments crazy tight. So, on the Patrones #267-13 dress, I decided to attempt my first ever FBA.  Meh. I’ll do better next time 😉 For the rest of the dress I traced a size 42 and graded out by two inches at the thighs. I now think I could have cut a straight 42 as I took the dress in about two inches from the lower waist down. I also reduced the  length of the torso by one inch and think I could have cut an inch out of the skirt under the waist.

I made my typical swayback adjustment in the skirt. But, should have taken it out of the waistband. I also have come to the realization that many things are too long for me in the lower back. I’m going to alter for that soon.

I ended up not lining the dress. I made so many alterations to the dress that I could not take fixing the already-constructed lining.  So, I made 1.5 inch long facings at the neckline.

I also pegged the skirt because it was wide and kind of straight and made me look like a block.  But, something totally wonky happened. My right side seam is off by over an inch. No idea how that happened!

Overall, I’m pleased with the dress. There was WAY TO MUCH fussing for my taste. But, I just need to learn to make FBAs.  And make the darts actually aim at my bust point! That’ll make a huge difference 😉

I was asked about my shoes in another post. They are available from Aerosoles.

** EDIT: I agree. Red shoes would be great. I’m still on the hunt for a pair that I like 😉

45 comments

  2. I think you did a nice job on this dress. I like the tailored look on you. I agree with Carol, red shoes would look nice with this dress.

  3. This looks wonderful on you! So polished. Great job with it. I have this pattern and have considered it before but have shied away from it because it’s really hard to tell from the picture how it would look if there model weren’t hunched over. Maybe I’ll have to give it a shot now. And I was going to say, “I have the sane shoes in brown” until you said they were Aerosoles, which mine are not. Awww, not shoe twins!

  5. Love the red shoe idea. But you definitely need more of this style in your closet! The proportions (sleeve length, hem, etc) are fantastic on you.

  11. Hi! It looks great… I love the piping, and I think the belt looks really nice with it… Thanks for including the info about the shoes – LOVE them!

  15. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the red piping! What a great detail, and your color choices are great!

  19. I’m so glad that you’ve come over to the dark side…woven tailored dress are the ish! *LOL* And didn’t you just feel grown up and professional today…yeah you should definitely make more! Love the shoes too!

  21. I love that!!!! The pink piping looks great with the gray and I love how you styled the dress with the shoes and tights.

  22. I love the whole look! You look professional and very stylish. Now that you know about the Patrones dress fit you’ll have less issues with the next one.

  23. I agree that woven dresses do look more professional. And yours is great. The pink piping is a nice touch.

  24. Super cute! I also fell in love with woven dresses once I started sewing. It’s so great to have a dress that fits perfectly and won’t stretch out. And I love the way they look. Keep it up!

  25. This looks soooo good! Go woven dresses. Never hurts to have more of those in your closet.

    I just cut fabric for a Patrones pattern too, I think my 2nd also.

  29. I wonder what the wrong answer is??

    I would think that neither is wrong, maybe he’s your SO, but you aren’t co-habitating and when he comes over you ‘serve’ him, right?? So if he wanted you to give the plate to his patna he would have previously indicated or passed it on as though he was helping you??….but if you gave it to his friend first he would have understood that this person is more of a guest than them..

    I would think if it was mutual home then he would have provided some effort and it still wouldn’t have been an issue???

  30. Very pretty and professional-looking dress. I think if I had to do that many alterations, I would have thrown the dress across the room! You are very patient. 🙂

  32. I like it except for the missmatched backseam and the zipper. The dress looks so nice on you! It wouldn´t be much work to fix that, no?

  33. Love it! Now you just need some bright red shoes to go with it (not that the grey aren’t cute, mind!).

    You have so got to try a Patrones coat next. I’ve only made one so far but the fit is so gorgeous I am completely hooked on them now.

  35. The dress looks good!! I really like your fabric. I have never heard of Gus Woolens. I live in Southern Maryland is Gus Woolens worth the trip? Is the fabric expensive??

  36. Dang it, those shoes are only available in 8 and 12! I have been wanting some gray shoes. But let’s be real, I don’t wear heels.

    I’m so glad the FBA worked out! I like it with the belt.

  37. The dress looks really nice! I love the mixture of menswear fabric and the (girly) pink piping! And of course, your shoes!

  38. Gorgeous dress! It’s enough to make me start hunting down Patrones again — not like I don’t already have 6 issues with patterns waiting to be made…

  39. It’s gorgeousness! I’m not usually drawn to grey shades, but that red makes it pop, it looks great on you, and the shoes rock.

    One question–have you ever come across a swayback adjustment tutorial? Maybe I just don’t know what to look for, but I definitely would benefit from it when I make more fitted dresses or skirts, because I find that just adding width at the hips isn’t the right way to go about more room for the bumper (and I always have a bad gappy waistband)…

  41. This looks so great on you! I agree re: red shoes, but even without them, this look is a real winner. And yours is waaaay cuter than the one on the model.

  42. Hi! the dress looks great! I think that you can wear it belted or not. I love the red piping it really brings out the style and color of the fabric. Everyone that sews understands that we are the most critical of our own projects. I guarantee you that people won’t even notice the imperfections that you pointed out. You wear it well, and it is beautiful!

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