Vogue 8975 – Jaywalking
Oh my, the sewing machines were running hot around Australia during the Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend, for the deadline of the Tessuti Jaywalk Competition is tomorrow. And we all want to win $1000 of Tessuti fabric. Photos are popping up on the competition Pinterest Board at a rapid rate, and there are some seriously fantastic garments to see! I generally don’t enter sewing competitions and the like. My ego is too tender, and I don’t really like sewing to a deadline. But when the competition was announced with such lovely fabric at a vastly reduced price, I couldn’t resist.
So, here I am in Vogue 8975! I had it cut out weeks and weeks ago, but it was only sewn up yesterday. Nothing like a deadline to give me that final push! Anna offered to be my photographer, so all the terrific photos are due to her skills and fancy camera. A little different to the usual ones from the 11 year old daughter (or the unenthusiastic husband) using the camera in my phone….
There is a whole lot that I like about this dress. Firstly, the fabric. It’s a viscose/spandex and has such a divine hand. It’s fairly weighty, so hangs beautifully, and was very straightforward to sew. I have a little left of the black/natural colourway, and a metre or so of the pale ecru/natural colourway. Originally I planned to enter more than one garment in the competition. Well, that didn’t eventuate. I still have plans for the remaining fabric (actually, I wish that I’d bought more) that involve doing some fancy things with tucks along the stripes.
The next thing that I love about it is the pockets and associated drapes. The construction really is rather ingenious. Marcy Tilton is so clever! I have no idea how she designs these types of garments. The pockets and drapes all join and fold and tuck and none of it is hard to do, but you end up with this marvellous effect at the front. Whereas the back is all pieced, but the shapes of the pieces meant that none of the stripes could match up exactly all the way along any of the seams. The jagged effect created along the seamlines in conjunction with the strong contrast of the stripes is really interesting to me.
I did however match up the stripes along most of the centre back and along the sleeve seams, and all the stripe placement elsewhere is perfectly symmetrical. Go me!
The sewing machine and the overlocker were both used in construction, with many of the seams stitched first on the machine before finishing the edges with the overlocker. Both the shoulder seams and the neckline were stabilised with fusible tape before sewing seams together. Hems were secured with one inch wide vliesofix tape before stitching with a twin needle. I also topstitched around the neckline with the twin needle.
Size wise, this is size Medium. I made all my usual short waist adjustments by folding around an inch and a half out of the bodice pieces before cutting it out but no other alterations. All the pattern pieces fitted together beautifully and the finished dress is one that I know I will wear again and again.
The only thing that I would do differently if I made this dress again would be to add some fusible interfacing at the centre point in the front. Although there is a line of stitching to reinforce that area, the fabric is relatively heavy, and there is quite a lot of fabric in the skirt to weigh it down. It’s not pulling a great deal, but a little more stability there would have been preferable. Actually, there is one other thing I would have done differently – it would have been fun to have cut some of the sections on the cross grain to play even more with the stripes. There is plenty of stretch in the fabric and that probably would have worked beautifully. The pattern drawing and cutting layout does suggest using a contrast! Ah well, there’s always next time.
Check out how this dress twirls – it shows you how the front drapes connect in behind the bottom of the pockets on the inside of the dress. And I like the weird effect that photographing the stripes gives.
Do make sure that you check out all the competition entries. The variety of styles that people come up with for the same fabric are amazing. It’s been fun to take part.
These are such fantastic pictures of you! The dress is lovely but I really like your photo shoot! Here’s hoping you win!!!
I LOVE this dress on you!!! So excited to finally see it in the Jaywalk. You did an amazing job matching all those stripes. The Jaywalk is soooooo comfortable to wear and that dress design is so clever isn’t it. I think I should have made a size smaller in mine but it is still so comfortable that it is the first thing I put on when I get home on a cooler day (although those are few and far between here!). You make me want to make a sleeveless version for our summer here. I’m pretty rough on my day to day clothes. No clothes lines here in the US just big commercial size washers and dryers in every house (which despite my initial resistance, I’m getting used to since they save me so much laundry time). I’ve been wearing my jaywalk dress a 2-3 times per week. The fabric is holding up beautifully but just pilling a little on my hip wear I carry Miss Two.
I love this dress, great fabric for it and it fits you perfectly!
That dress is amazing. I have the pattern and you have inspired me to move it up in the cue!
I hate commercial patterns, but you have sold me on this one. Maybe they should have you sew up their inspiration photos! Awesome dress!
I love that dress! The photos are really lovely! I have just given away this pattern. I wish I hadn’t!
Oh Lara! This might be my FAVOURITE make of yours yet! That fabric is to die for (I bought 6.5 metres last night) and the pattern! Oh so beautiful! I have seen it in the vogue catalogue and often wondered how it would look on a real person and it really does look good! I shall have to check it out now that I have conquered my fear of knits.
Your dress looks fabulous. Best of luck for the competition.
Fantastic entry – good luck in the competition!
Good luck! Wonderful version of the Tilton dress.
I really love this on you Lara – I think it is my favourite thing you’ve ever made. You look great!
This is absolutely gorgeous Lara. It’s beautiful with the stripes & draping – a perfect mix of wearable art & classic style. And the Jaywalk feels so delightful on! I wish I’d bought more as well 😉 Best wishes with the competition!!
Good luck Thornberry! Your dress is stunning on you!!
Fabulous dress – the stripes are perfect for that pattern!
Inspired by you & all the lovely entries, today I brought 3m of the black jaywalk & 1.5m of the neutral. Maybe some liberty came home with me too… As you already know – I love this dress on you. Another item to secretly steal from your wardrobe!
Love the way you used the fabric! The dress really suits you and it’s a fabulous entry for the competition 🙂 Good luck!
This dress looks space age when it billows out when you twirl. I love it. Very interesting details.
I love this so much, you did a wonderful job matching all of those stripes. you deserve to win and I hope that you do.
linda.
very cool dress Lara, a great use of the stripes. This is the reason why I didn’t enter – because I knew everyone else would do great and innovative with the fabric but I was bereft of ideas. I still bought some fabric though!
You know I would have overlooked this pattern – but you’ve made me re-assess. Looking great and fab use of the striped fabric
This looks great on you -so flattering!
What a fabulous dress in that fabric. I had recently been looking at that pattern but in ways that stayed pretty well to Marcy Tilton’s use of fabric. I love your interpretation and that fabric looks wonderful. A question, I think I am your height and I would have been nervous that design would swamp me but it looks so good on you. Did you have to alter the pattern lengthwise for your height?
Thanks for the lovely comment Tricia. I did shorten the dress, but only by shortening it through the bodice about an inch and a half. I didn’t alter the skirt pattern pieces at all. I am 158cm tall – 5’2″. It is a great pattern, and I’ll make another for summer at some stage.
I saw this dress in the catalogue and loved it. Then I forgot about it and never did order it. But seeing your post made me run and order it straightaway as especially with the stripes it looks SO funky!!
Congratulations on winning a cool prize. You did a great job!
I’m so thrilled that your awesome dress won one of the prizes! Congratulations!!!!
what a great dress, well done and it suits you, never thought horizontal stripes could look so amazing!!