Anything's Better with a Bow

Here's Vogue 8409, another step towards my goal of filling my closet with cozy doubleknit dresses for winter. This doubleknit is made of actual wool, not the synthetic stuff—and it is positively luscious. I got the fabric at New York Elegant Fabrics and it's way more than I normally pay . . . but I just couldn't resist. (If you've missed it, here's my post on the basics of using doubleknits.)

Here's the pattern drawing.

I did my usual lengthening of the skirt and added the double bow because, well, anything's better with a bow. And it's twice as good with a double bow! Without it, the dress is a tad conservative, especially in navy. And I just can't abide conservative.

It also required pink heels, obviously.

I liked the pattern well enough, but it runs super big in the bodice. I made a 14 up top and ended up taking it in almost two inches on each side. I should mention, however, that using this pattern was an experiment in going against the Vogue "figure flattery" guidelines. This pattern is not recommended for "triangles" (aka pear-shaped ladies) so I think that's why I had to do a little more finessing that usual. As for figure flattery? The dress does emphasize my hips, but I'm not one of those women who thinks that's necessarily a bad thing.

I did a few fancy construction techniques, like using Kenneth King's method for staying a neckline, which I highly recommend. I've also been working on a better center lapped zipper with the help of an article called "The Perfect Center-Back Zipper" in Threads #145 (a great issue all around, if you can get your hands on it). I didn't take a single mid-process photo, though. Since we're between sew-alongs, I've been enjoying just sewing and not feeling the need to document every step. Don't worry, I'm getting that out of my system!

A few parting shots. (It's driving me crazy that the bow appears lopsided in the photos. It's not really. That's just the one downside of saucily bumping your hip out!)