Vogue 9103



I don't often treat myself to quality fabric, more often than not, picking mine up on sale tables and op shops.  In this instance I did treat myself at The Fabric Store's end of summer 2015 sale, to a piece of lovely weight linen.  I had in mind a dress and shortly after acquired Vogue 9103.  Both sat in my stash over winter and then I began researching.  Oddly enough, Googling Vogue 9103 didn't produce many results.  This should have raised a red flag and experience says I should have shelved this pattern right there, or at the very least made a muslin as I often do, out of some less expensive fabric.  But no, I plowed along with my dress plans.



I cut the dress out to a size 10 grading to a 12 at the hips which is my normal big four size.   I had a piece of satin lining in my stash that I used to line the bodice. I then put the dress on to trial the fit.  Hmmm!!  Oh my goodness!  To my credit, I didn't realise this pattern didn't come with a no butt ruffle option or I would have chosen it but the only word that springs to mind over this feature was, UGLY!  It stuck out like a Victorian Bustle and pulled the entire dress out of shape.  It took me all of about 30 seconds to realise that it had to go!  Had this been a muslin I would have abandoned this dress there and then but the lovely linen and my aversion to wastage kept me going.  Out came the unpicker there and then.

A couple of hours and a little thinking time later, I had my rescued back pieces and my pattern pieces laid out on the floor.  My solution was to cut the back to mirror the front, taking into account the back hip section.  I wasn't sure it would work but at this point it was worth a try.  It did make my pieces slightly shorter but given I had cut it to midi length, it wasn't a complete disaster.  I had already decided I needed to let the entire dress out a fraction through the mid section, so I did this at the time as well.



I really like the resulting dress.  It is lovely and swishy to wear and I actually, quite surprisingly like the creases, a day in linen inevitably produces.  There are a couple of things that do irk me slightly about this dress though.  It is a lovely dress to wear to work on a hot day, but I do wish I had used something other than satin for the bodice lining to make it a little more comfortable in the heat.  The second irk is the centre front seam.  The linen being a loosely woven fibre doesn't like that seam and I fear it will pull over time.  For now though it is fine, but sitting in an office all day, this is an obvious area for strain.


Comments

  1. It does look wonderfully swishy, and whilst completely work appropriate, is very feminine, somehow more so than a dress with a straight skirt. I love the colour on you too, it suits you beautifully.

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    1. Thankyou! Blue is one of my favourite colours. The work appropriateness of this dress was one of the attractions.

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  2. Looks a bit like the BHL Anna dress to me. Nice swish.

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    1. I have seen a few BHL dresses on the web but can't comment on the similarities because I haven't made one.

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  3. You have fantastic sewing skills so you should totally spoil yourself with more expensive fabric. I would never has guessed this dress started off so badly - it looks grest niw.

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    1. Thank you Janine! Sometimes sticking with something does pay off!

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  4. Like Cornelia, My first thought was that you had made the BHL Anna dress. The shape is very similar, but on closer inspection they are quite different. Looks like I am not the only one who has been busy with the seam ripper lately, and working with linen too. Your dress had turned out beautifully with your alterations and the colour is gorgeous. This one is sure to become a favourite.

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    1. I actually have two seam rippers which is just as well sometimes! I think it may become a favourite but with autumn around the corner I may not get to wear it too much this season.

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  5. Very good save and worth the effort. I'm a bit of a fabric snob - I only sew with good quality fabrics now because the cheap stuff always looks dowdy on me. Not that they are always expensive.

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    1. I have had some very good fabrics on the sale tables and second hand and bought some equally expensive and disappointing fabric so I don't judge fabric on price. I don't however like to waste expensive fabric.

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  6. Is it bad I wanted to see a photo of the bum bustle?
    Well done, I sewed up a Liesl+Co skirt without making a muslin in a gorgeous dotty linen. My friend really enjoys wearing it....

    That blue looks so lovely on you, great save.
    xx N

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    1. It is really frustrating when things don't go to plan! The bum bustle really wasn't fit for internet consumption!

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  7. Replies
    1. Thank you! The shoes don't get as much wear as they could. I am more of a practical shoes person.

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