Lady in Red McCalls 7160

Photo One of a billion taken at the Montreal Botanical Gardens

I was able to find time to make up a quick casual dress before I headed off on my latest holiday. This one has to be a record for me: there was a sale at my local Fabricland, so I bought one of the "easy" patterns from a fairly recent McCalls release, 7160, on a Friday afternoon, and had it cut out by that night. I liked the simple lines of this knit dress, especially the basic View D, which I chose. And it made it so quick to sew -- I had it ready to wear by Monday morning. Meanwhile, I have cut-out dresses languishing in my to-sew pile that have been there for a year.....

I also had a little piece of knit that I'd picked up on sale without a particular pattern in mind, but of such a bright, fun print that I couldn't resist it. It was just enough for this pattern, even if I did have to piece together the sash to make it long enough to tie effectively. It's not noticeable thanks to the print.

 

This dress really was as "Easy" as it was marked. I made it up in a weekend, and had no problems with it. The centre front seam made fitting adjustments really simple; I was able to adjust for my shallower right side very easily, and the neckline sits nice and flat.

Because it's an easy beginner's pattern, the finishing is not fancy. The sleeve hem and neckline are both "turn under and stitch", and while I was considering adding a neck binding instead, I ultimately went for the quick finish. My stretchy poly-knit played well with this finish, but some might not.

The skirt is quite full, so I didn't wear it on the windy days when I was away...I think it might have been a little risky ;) It falls beautifully and feels great to wear, though. The waistline seam allowances are stitched together to make a casing for a narrow elastic that's threaded through, instead of attaching clear elastic in the seam. This works really well, actually, to support the weight of the skirt, at least for my lightweight knit.

I really enjoyed making and wearing this one. It fits closely but not super snugly; the sizing seems to be right on. It has pockets, yay! I do love pockets, and this skirt is full enough that you can use the pockets without distortion showing in the dress. I did add some seam binding in the shoulder seams and along the pocket/skirt seams to ward off stretching -- I had some vintage yellow that looked great against the fabric, even if only I know it is there!

I feel like I'm in Monet's garden here

This is a super, easy project that I'd say would work for most newer sewists. It's also a pretty blank canvas for additions and modifications, I think. All in all, a fun summer dress that I am pleased with. And the photo location, in Montreal's Botanical Gardens, can't be beat! What a wonderful chance to revisit an old favourite place.

No end of beautiful locations in these massive Gardens