I wanted a simple sheath to wear under the first French jacket that I made, and I was lucky enough to score the last of this beautiful Spring Tweed from Roz at Sew Much Fabric. I'd been wanting to try the dress from Vogue 1237 and it turned out to be the perfect marriage of fabric and pattern.
To compliment the construction of my jacket, I used couture techniques learned from Susan Khalje's Craftsy class. This is the first garment I've made using underlining and what a difference it makes. The tweed I was working with frayed easily and really needed the additional body of the underlining. I used silk organza to underline and it not only adds body, it keeps the fashion fabric from stretching out of shape and also minimizes wrinkling.
I first made a muslin without seam allowances and traced all seam lines and pattern markings using my giant tracing paper. Then the seam lines are thread traced by machine:
The muslin then becomes my pattern and again I use it on my carbon to trace markings on to the organza underlining:
It's then used as the pattern to cut my fashion fabric. From this point forward the underlining and fashion fabric are treated as one. Here is a photo showing the underlining prior to the insertion of the lining:
At this point all seams are catch stitched to the organza being careful not the catch the fashion fabric in those stitches. I've done the left side in a darker thread so it can be seen more easily:
I lined this dress with a cream silk charmeuse. Like everyone says, it does tend to slip and slide while you're working with. The powers that be always recommend using a walking foot. I have the Bernina walking foot and I am convinced I must have gotten a lemon. It grabs, bunches and basically just makes a mess of things. Knowing my charmeuse would shift I tried this alternating pinning technique and it was miraculous! Absolutely no shifting:
And here's the yummy inside:
This is a great basic sheath pattern and I see making this one over and over. I love the neckline, both front and back:
And I especially love it with my French jacket!
Try this pattern, it's great. And thanks for stopping by!
