Lekala are about as creative in naming their designs as I am in naming my blog posts.  This is Lekala 4078 which is – surprise surprise, a knit dress with inset.

I hoped that this would be a work appropriate and comfortable winter dress, and I think that it has met up to my expectations (although this is really more a “wearable muslin” than exactly the fit I’d like).

I’ve been experimenting with Lekala patterns a lot lately (I sewed up another couple of patterns on the weekend). I have now decided that for future orders I will remove the “reduced” shoulder width adjustment. Although my shoulders are on the narrow side, the Lekala pattern alteration for this is too narrow. I think that it’s causing some pulls from across the neckline on this dress.  I could have also done a better job on where I distributed the gathers on the underneath part of the top.  I need to focus them under the bust more.

The neckline isn’t as deep a V as the illustration either – which is probably a good thing for a work dress. And despite specifying a high waist adjustment, the back waist length is still too long and has these wrinkles that you can see in this photo.  Or maybe it’s just ridden up on my under layers and needs to be pulled down a bit at the back – these photos were taken at the end of a very long day last week.

What I do love however is the effectiveness of the “full hip” measurement for my shape. In my mind, this is the “pot gut” adjustment. It means I don’t get the pulling across the front that I get on so many garments and instead there is more circumferential room in the front of the garment than in the back.

The triangular shaped insert is interfaced, and Lekala suggest that it could be effective in a contrast fabric – a woven suiting, or even leather. This fabric is a lightweight printed ponte from Darn Cheap Fabrics. It was nice and soft and easy to sew, and even easier to wear.

The more I look at this dress, the more I want to give this pattern another try. I think that I have almost worked out my Lekala adjustments now. They do a great job for me when I provide my measurements, and I think that the only other adjustments that I need to make are to specify high waist. I think that I’ll need to shorten the back waist a little myself. And I don’t need the shoulder width reduced after all. But for the grand sum of another US$2.69 (less if I buy a pattern bundle) I reckon that it is worth it to order another tweaked copy of the pattern.  When I order the next one I’ll show you the difference in drafting between the “reduced” shoulder width and the usual one.  It should be interesting!