by Claudine Gauvin For my spring project, I chose to make a sleeveless dress, in a beautiful fiery green. My fabric is a medium weight polyester, named Dalia – Kelly Green. The dress of Vogue pattern no V1802 is loose and has a collar that is extended by ties in the back. I made the long version with a ruffle at the hem and pockets in the side seams.
This season, floral fabrics seem very trendy, but I always have a little difficulty choosing one that suits me. So I preferred to go with a plain fabric that will match different colors of accessories. Scrolling through fashion websites, I was attracted by the combination of green and pink. This mix of contrasting colors reminds me of nature waking up in the spring.
The best way to know if I needed to make any adjustments for this pattern was to make a muslin (test garment). I used leftover fabric similar to my final fabric. Yes, this step took me more time, but, as soon as I tried on my model, I quickly realized that I had to narrow my shoulders and reduce the armholes. I removed 1 inch (2.54 cm) under each arm. In short, simple modifications that change everything.
Overall, this pattern is easy to make. As suggested in the instructions, I sewed commercial bias tape around the armholes and the back of the shoulders. It makes a nice finish. The longest step for me was to make the flounce at the bottom of the dress. You have to be patient to gather the large strip of fabric measuring 2.5 times the perimeter of the dress. I took all my time to get the right result, that is to say regular gathers and the right length.
All in all, I’m happy with the final look. In addition to being stylish and comfortable, this dress is feminine, it hangs well and it has pockets. It’s so convenient! The short model is also very pretty. I would be curious to redo it in cotton or poplin. It would probably be less heavy and the beautiful loop at the back would keep its shape.
Go Spring! Show yourself the tip of your nose! We are all looking forward to nature adorning itself with flowers and beautiful colors again.
