It was a weekend for completing projects.  Starting with my Parfait!

I muslined the bodice for this dress back in November.  I’m very glad that I blogged about it then because there was no way that I was going to remember what alterations I had made otherwise!  Basically this dress is in a Colette size 8, but graded out to somewhere between a 10 and a 12 for the fitted midriff panel.

You can just see the invisible zipper pull in the left side seam in the above photo! I shortened the shoulder straps around an inch – maybe a little less – and eased the skirt into the midriff panel. I think that I’d left the skirt cut out as size 12 to match the midriff, so it was a little large around once I’d altered the bodice panel. Easing it in left enough flare in the skirt to skim over my stomach bulges and it doesn’t cling anywhere around my hips and bottom.  Yay!

I was lucky enough to find buttons in two sizes that matched the colours in my fabric perfectly. At Spotlight, of all places! The large buttons on the shoulder straps are functional. I adore the curved and gathered pockets, and the smaller buttons set them off beautifully. They are functional too!

The fabric came from Darn Cheap Fabrics some time ago. It looks like a cotton/linen of some sort, but actually didn’t crush much over the course of the day, so maybe it’s not. I should probably do a burn test with some scrap fabric.  Either way, it was terrific to wear and a breeze to sew. And I have more of it!

So, is my Parfait perfect for me? It’s not far off, actually! The midriff panel is definitely very fitted with minimal ease, so there is no allowing for any weight gain. Which is a good thing! But it means that you can see a ridge caused by the skirt/midriff seam allowance.  Hmmm.  The eased skirt skims over my tummy but also sticks out a little – as my husband pointed out. The bodice fits beautifully, the straps are the right length, it is bra-friendly, the colours suit me, and I feel great wearing it.  So maybe it is almost perfect!