This week has been insanely busy! Even though I’ve managed to still write a couple posts, none of them contained finished garments. It doesn’t mean that I haven’t been making anything or don’t have much to show. Thankfully, I still have a stash of items I can write about! It’s just turned out to be a busy week and I can not wait for the weekend to start
Today I am showing you my recent make – Lexi Dress. It was the second pattern I’ve tried from Named Patterns. I enjoyed my experience sewing with their patterns. They are well drafted and the instructions are pretty thorough. The only complaint I have is that the files come in 2 sizes at a time. I went for size 42, which was in the same PDF file as size 40. But what if I needed to blend between 38 and 40?… Those two sizes are on different PDF files and I think that’s unfortunate.
Other than my PDF file complaint, I really like the pattern! I did have trouble fitting my shoulders and to be honest I think there is still room for improvement. But it is not the pattern’s fault. Me having enormous shoulders are just the facts of life. I love my shoulders… I hate fitting them! Even though I added 1/2″ to the shoulder width, I feel like I can still add 1/4″ more for good measure. The dress feels just a tad too tight across the upper back / shoulders. But it is not enough not to wear it and it is not extremely visible. It still fits better than most RTW.
Other than that, I didn’t make any changes to the pattern. It fit just like I wanted it to everywhere else! It was wide enough in the waist without swallowing me and wide enough in the hips. I also like the fit of the sleeves. They are not to tight and not too wide, yet narrow down towards the hem. I like bunching my sleeves up a little bit and a narrower hem definitely allows for it.
For my fabric I used 100% polyester suiting from my stash. I envisioned this dress in solid burgundy color and was on a hunt for burgundy ponte, but then I talked myself out of it after I found pretty much what I was looking for in my stash. I am just like a kid, I want that specific thing NOW but I need the adult me to talk reason to myself and then I eventually see the point and agree…
The fabric I used is actually really nice! I was surprised as I didn’t expect much from it. It is a medium weight suiting with a lovely drape. It irons beautifully and is so easy to sew with! It also wears well. I bought a few different colors of it on sale and now I can not wait to cut into the rest of it. Actually my Drop Waist Laurel is made out of the same fabric.
I don’t have any close up pictures this time, as these ones were taken a couple weeks ago (I also have bangs now!), but for all my future photos I am trying to take more close ups of stitching and fabric 🙂
I am very happy with how the dress turned out. It has quickly became one of my go-to basic dresses, yet I don’t think it is too basic. I think I will want to make a couple more eventually. Probably for next fall / winter season, or may be a sleeveless one for summer.
I hope everyone has a lovely weekend! Do you have any sewing or other plans?
Love,
Anya
I just got that same pattern last week! Your dress looks great! I was fabric shopping yesterday and found a lot of 100% polyester suiting, but stayed away from it this time. It was a warm day and somehow I just got really paranoid about sweating my ass off in polyester 😀 But it is versatile! Hope you’ll get lots of wear out of your dress, I can’t wait to get started on mine! 🙂
Great minds think alike! I thought the same thing with polyester suiting! I was so worried that I will sweat in it, but so far so good. I guess it helps that I wear it when it is not hot too, but so far I haven’t noticed anything I don’t like about it (no sweating, no itching, no being uncomfortable). I can’t wait to see yours!
It’s very cute. I really like Named patterns. I’ve made a few now and I love their simple chic designs. They are very well drafted. I tend to go with the paper patterns tho….