Things have been very busy for me since I returned from Couture Boot Camp! I am still working on my strapless dress whenever time permits but found myself with a free day today so I thought I’d whip up a simple summer dress from Vogue 1224 by Tracy Reese.
I have always loved a peasant style blouse or dress for summer and this is such a cute casual dress that will work well with a pair of flats, don’t you think? As soon as this pattern was released I knew I’d use this jersey from Gorgeous Fabrics that has been in my stash for a couple of years. I’m such a copycat!
I made a size 8 with a 5/8″ full bust adjustment (which I really didn’t even need since there’s a lot of ease) and added 2″ to the length of the skirt. I found the skirt to run pretty large and ended up removing 2″ from the circumference to get the slim look as shown on the envelope. Since this is a very busy print, I omitted the lining. I certainly don’t want that extra layer if I don’t need it. Lastly, I allowed 1.25″ for the hem as I find 5/8″ to look very skimpy.
The directions have you stitch a separate elastic casing into the waistline seam. Since I didn’t want any unnecessary bulk at the waist, I omitted this step and simply pressed the skirt seam allowance up and used it to form the casing. I also made a belt from the leftover fabric to give it a more finished look. The belt was cut 2 yards by 6″ wide and stitched in a 1/4″ seam – perfect to wrap around my waist twice.
I’m really pleased with the way this turned out and the almost instant gratification I got from this pattern!
I also just finished another New Look 6429 which I have made several times already. I needed a summery interview dress that would work well with my white pique jacket and this fabric was perfect.
Instead of a facing, I bound the neckline edge – very fast and easy!
Gigi Sews 
Both are lovely dresses. I especially like the blue fabric. I am anxious to sew up some summery dresses for myself.
Those are two beautiful dresses, love your choice of fabrics. I have made the two myself. The NL is such a great pattern.
Lovely dresses, both. Would love to see some photos of you enjoying wearing them.
Great dresses!
Gosh Gigi both of these are sooooo pretty! Love how you just knock out a dress or two in the midst of a very involved project!
They are both beautiful dresses. And don’t worry most of us are also copycats. That’s because you know if you use the same color same fabric/yarn that your garment will be as nice as the picture. If you change anything, well all bets are off
Both are lovely. And thanks for the tips on sewing them up.
Both of these look great. I really like both of the fabrics too.
Both of those dresses are GORGEOUS!!!!
wow, wow, double wow!
Both dresses are so cute!
Wow I like that Tracy Reese! I was looking at that and kept going back to look at it again, but I couldn’t quite talk myself into it. I wasn’t sure that all the ease in the bust would translate into actual ease on me! But it’s SO cute! I think I like your idea of making a belt though, I think that looks more finished and brings it into “grown up” territory.
Wow, Gigi I really love both dresses! They are so gorgeous and the fabric colors are stunning to boot.
Both are gorgeous dresses Gigi . Loving the fabrics 🙂
That first dress is so cute, and really looks just like the envelope sample. You’ll get a lot of mileage out of it this summer!
Love these dresses. Good luck on your interviews.
Love the dresses. I didn’t buy V1224 when it first came out, but it’s had so many reviews and yours is another great inspiring creation.
You know, the amount of ease shouldn’t really influence whether you do an FBA or not. That amount of ease is what is meant for a B cup. If you have room to put a D cup in there without pulling, it doesn’t mean that you’ll get the intended style result. So unless you want all your blousy, loose things to look that way except for a nearly-fitted bust, it’s best to bite the bullet and always do an FBA..
That is true, Marie-Christine – to a point. I am 5’3″ tall and find that voluminous garments can often be too overwhelming for my small frame. Using up some of the design ease works well as long as it stays true to the intended look of the garment. This particular dress measures about 44″ through the bust for a size 8 in a knit fabric. I was actually more concerned with having enough length over the bust (hence the FBA) than I was with width. Honestly, it would have worked out fine without the FBA given the cut and volume of the bodice.
I have a similar problem-I’m 5’5″ so I’m on the taller end of short, but I wear a 38D and have very small shoulders. I can’t do hugely blousy as it merely emphasizes what’s already there and veers into “sloppy” territory, and sizing up merely means the armscye hits me somewhere around the elbow. My “blousy” look needs to be reined in, and I generally have to add length to the bodice so the waistline doesn’t pull up 4 inches in the front, rather than width, in styles like this. It can be done, but blousy on a full bust is a ticklish proposition to get just right.
Thosed are super dresses! I’m sure you’re cute as a bug in either.
As a matter of fact, Gigi, I’ve been meaning to ask you a question regarding ease-I find I am having an awful time with it lately. I’ve tried using “womens” patterns, and they’re far too big everywhere-and I’m not a tiny woman, I wear a 14-16 RTW. I’ve tried using D cup patterns-same problem. Even doing the calculation to figure out how much extra I need to add through and around the bust area, based on the ease amount given on the pattern pieces, I’m ending up with big baggy garments.
Is there any tried and true way that you know of, or a resource I can find, that can tell me how to avoid this? I’ve spent hours working with the Nancy Zieman method and while it works pretty well with pants and skirts, the blouse seems to be resistant to any corrective measures-either I can’t pull it over the chest or it’s HUGE.
Go out and immediately get yourself a copy of Fit For Real People – really! I have taught fitting to a lot of women over the past 15 or so years using their methods and they consistently work. Once you get the correct size for your shoulders/chest/neck there is no guessing as to how much you need to add through the bust (measure your high bust very snugly to determine your pattern size). I have been tissue-fitting for at least 25 years and it works! (No matter how much people try to poopoo it.) I even tissue-fitted my strapless bodice for the couture workshop and only had to make an 1/8″ bust adjustment in my final garment. Once you get this worked out, you will be set free. 🙂
You are a treasure Gigi! Thanks so much! I will get the book ASAP!
And I’m going to teach my husband how to pin a tissue pattern to his wife! LOL!
Beautiful dresses, Gigi. I love a wrap dress, but that red and white dress is saying something to me. I think I need more jersey prints in my stash. I’ve been looking for a red and white leopard print but no luck.
Thanks for sharing.
both perfectly lovey dresses. They make me smile.
Super dresses – fabric, shapes, everything!
I would love to see a good tutorial on doing the edge binding like that .. I love the look.
Dhyana, it’s done using a right-angle binder on an industrial machine as shown here:
Your Tracy Reese dress is inspirational. I’d love to make a longer version of this dress for the Australian summer.
I just made that Tracy Reese dress this past weekend too! Only I’m currently wearing it as a top with pants since summer has yet to arrive in the northwest…
Good luck on your interviews!
That is such a cute peasant-style dress with loose sleeves, and a lot more feminine and shapely with the addition of a sash belt. Aha! The iconic NL dress! That’s where I learned your sagacious tip on using CE to stabilize the neckline. I imagine since your first version you have re-traced or bought it again since you originally used a lot of alterations–like I still do now 😉 but I’m 7mos pg so that’s alright. Hey Gigi, speaking of ‘copycat’–being inspired by others–are you thinking of doing a Kate Middleton engagement announcement dress? It would look fantastic on you.
Both dresses are really cute. I especially like the red/white one.
Both dresses are absolutely beautiful!!! I love the fabric for the Vogue dress. That print is simply amazing!!!
Oh my goodness, both dresses are divine. I love them!
Beautiful dresses! I especially like the white/red one – the neckline is so summery.
Both dresses are lovely! I especially like the peasant-style one, though– the print and styling make me think of this Anthropologie blouse I was drooling over a little.
Wow Gigi ! Both dresses are so fabulous !
…and you do the most beautiful bindings that I have ever seen.
Both dresses are gorgeous and awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Gigi,
I have just started working with knit fabrics and am having a problem with binding the neckline. Either the binding stands away from my chest or it pulls the shoulders in. Is there a way to measure the knit binding correctly for each neckline and armhole?
Thanks,
Kathleen
Kathleen, there isn’t any hard and fast rule as it depends on the individual fabric and the amount of stretch. When I use the binding attachment I run a sample on some scrap fabric before binding my garment. After awhile you do get a feel for it but it’s always good to try it on scraps first.
Lovely dresses!
Lovely summer dresses.