So, here it is, one of the two dresses that I ended up making for SewcieTea!

This is Vogue 1103, and it isn’t the dress that I wore in the end. I’ve had this pattern in deep stash for a long time. The fabric has been in stash for a little while too – especially the black that I used for the bottom contrast band.  No idea at all what it is.  The splodgy print is a polyester satin, with a little stretch in it, from the Darn Cheap Fabrics $2 per metre table. It was surprisingly easy to sew with.

There are surprisingly few reviews of this pattern around on the interwebs. Some of those who have made it had trouble with the sizing. I cut it out as a straight size 12 after measuring myself and checking the finished measurements that were printed on the pattern. I wanted a couple of inches ease around the bust, but not much more. I think that it has ended up very much like the fit on the pattern envelope.

If you look carefully at the picture on the cover, the front empire seam isn’t fitted closely to the body, and isn’t below the bust. It is actually just below the curve of the bust, not fitted to the chest wall. And that is where it fits on me too. I did shorten this pattern at the two marked “shorten/lengthen here” lines so that it would better fit my short-waisted figure, and that has worked out quite well. The overall finished length is now above the knee, pretty much the same as on the model.  I left out the side seam pockets, as I often do.

The centre front and back panels are lined, and I used the fashion fabric for the lining. The sleeves are also lined, with a sleeve stay that is cut shorter than the outer sleeve, and has elastic inserted in a casing at the bottom. Once again, I used the fashion fabric for the lining here. I rather like the bubble hem effect, and the double layer of satin at the sleeve cap has encouraged quite “boofy” gathers (technical sewing term there).

Other than the length, I think that the silhouette is very reminiscent of Jane Austen films. I rather like it – and I reckon that the heroines of Jane Austen’s books would have had a moon tan to rival mine, if they were allowed to show a little leg.