Black Linen Overdress

I finally made an overdress. I’ve been talking about it for long enough! After the trials of Friday, I went back to the drawing board. My friend suggested wrapping myself in duct tape to make a pattern fitted just for me, but lacking duct tape and a companion to help me with it, I elected instead to try one more pattern alteration — using New Look #6483 as the basis for the dress. (Someday I would really like to do the duct tape fitting.) This is a tank top that I have made for myself many times out of woven fabric so I know it fits.

I chose view E, which is the top left on the pattern cover. My favorite is actually the red tank in the middle but since the shoulder seams cut in so much on that style, I didn’t think it would make a good overdress. I know this for a fact, because I put on one of my tanks (made with that view) over a fitted long sleeve shirt. The shoulder seams didn’t go well together.

After I got out my pattern, I took over the dining room table. The photo below shows the draft of the back bodice/skirt. My pencil marks were not visible in the photo until I used the pencil tool in GIMP to draw the general shape. It really is not this poorly drawn on the actual pattern.

To make this piece (dress back), I first traced the New Look back bodice piece, and then took the side seam allowances down to 1/4″. The neck and arm hole seam allowances I took down to 1/8″ because I planned to use bias binding to finish them. I only took the center back seam down to 1/2″ because of putting a button-ribbon closure at the top. Then I added a skirt, 42″ long and 24-1/2″ wide (which is actually one-fourth the total skirt width).

My friend’s advice helped me tremendously in drafting this pattern. She offered her expertise with the darts and with where to begin the skirt, and encouraged me to make the skirt flatteringly full. All very good tips which I appreciate tremendously!

Then I made the muslin of the dress. It fit pretty well! I had to add an inward curve on the back pattern piece right at the small of the back so it would be more shapely. (Not shown.)

Yesterday afternoon, I began constructing an actual dress out of black linen. I love linen. I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again. Who cares if it gets wrinkly (which this doesn’t do too badly because it is a linen-rayon blend)? Linen drapes well, feels good, and is flattering. I also love black.

The center back seam is open at the top 5 inches so I can get the dress on and off. The original shirt pattern calls for this opening. I put a button and ribbon-loop at the top for closure.

Not only do I love linen, but I love using bias binding for necklines and armholes. Bias binding eliminates the need for facings or linings — which add bulk and/or need to be pressed. Have you ever worked with bias binding? I will take photos the next time I work with it to show you how easy it is. And what a finished look it gives! I used bias binding on this dress, stay-stitching before adding it so the openings wouldn’t stretch out (as linen especially tends to do).

I really do like this dress. However, it looks and feels less medieval than I was expecting, and much more like a long jumper. The pictures don’t show many details, especially since the color is black. I plan some other colors because I think I’m going to be wearing this dress alot. I would have liked it to be more fitted, but if I take it in any more at the side seams, I will look bulky at the middle and will end up hating the dress. Better to be a little loose.

For the underdress, I plan on lengthening my current base-layer t-shirt pattern to create a long-sleeve t-shirt dress. In the muslin photo above, the black t-shirt underneath is that t-shirt. I made it from merino wool. So the finished overdress-underdress combination will look similar to what is shown here, although I have yet to make the underdress.

Too many details? The details are mostly for my mom. Thanks for bearing with me.