A Long Time Coming

Vogue 1395 has been gathering dust in my pattern collection since it's release.   Most of the patterns that sit too long get passed on but this one for some reason just sat waiting for the right time and right piece of fabric.  That fabric presented itself in July in the form of a piece of crepe of some sort off the Fabric Vision $3 table.  Why such bargain fabric?  I wasn't quite convinced this dress was going to be a success.  I had read mixed reviews of this pattern and knew it would take a bit of altering to get the fit right.

My bargain fabric did present me with a few issues.  It was a border print so working out which way the print was to run and then lining up the two different prints did prove problematic.  I think I managed to make it work.

I did have to raise the shoulders a bit but now can't remember how much which made the neckline and armholes a bit more modest.  One issue I couldn't work around though, was the weight of the double layer at the back.  The bodice kept slipping down at the back.  To solve this problem I stitched in a couple of strap stays into the shoulder seams.

The dress was worn on my holiday as seen above for an evening show but ended up only making it out of the suitcase only once.   I do like it but this one I think will be relegated to a work dress.

This brings to an end my holiday series of makes, unless you count the knitting project I started to take with me.  I admit I didn't get much knitting done while I was away but have managed to complete it on my return.