TNT's Patterns Are My Favorites - Vogue 1314

My first "finished" project of 2018.  I needed something fast and easy to make on Monday afternoon.

Vogue 1314 is one of my go to knit dress pattern because it is quick, easy, and already to go.   It's a simple four piece pattern to is a bind right next to my table.  Perfect for a mid-western, cold as the North Pole, January day.  I first used it a few years back.  After making the necessary adjustments, it was immediately place in the TNT bind.  I use the front and back lining for the dress along with the neck band and sleeve.

The possibilities are many.  It can be used as a sloper to adjust similar style patterns.  Last year I used it with other sleeve patterns.  This basic pattern can lend itself to be morphed into a totally different dress.  The possibilities are endless.

My previous reviews are here:

Vogue 1314 The Third Time's The Charm

Getting the Most Out of Your Pattern Vogue 1314 and McCall 7542

Vogue 1314 Striped Knit Top

Oops The Wrong Fabric Choice

Self Drafted Sleeve - Vogue 1314

Sparkle Top with Bold Full Skirt

There are all of the versions of Vogue 1314 that I've had over the years.

Happy Sewing!
C

Vogue 1314 - Third Time's The Charm

At last, happiness with Vogue 1314!

They say the third time's the charm.  Yes, Vogue 1314 finally worked for me.

Remember, in my previous post, I talked about how the ruching did not work for me, and how the fabric of the second dress does not work for anyone.

I found a interesting print knit textile at JoAnn's Fabric that was perfect for how I wanted to interpret this Tracy Reese Vogue pattern.

Here's my review:


Pattern Description: MISSES' DRESS- Pullover, close-fitting, lined dress has draped sides and narrow hem.

Pattern Sizing:  6 - 22; I used size 14 with modifications.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?  Yes, except for the ruching.  I omitted that.

Were the instructions easy to follow?  The instructions are super easy. 

What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? 

Likes:

• Simple, slim t-shirt style dress with lining - optional in my mind. (The photo staging makes it look more appealing than the average.  But there are several dress pattern that will yield the same results.)
• Easy to sew.  You can make this dress in a few hours after you get the fit down pat.
• Neckband for the facing.  I simply love the finishing of many Vogue patterns.

Dislike:

• I was not pleased with the ruching.

Fabric Used:  I found this fall knit at JoAnn's Fabrics.  Trust me, you can find some nice apparel fabrics at JoAnn's.  The print and texture added interest to this simple dress, much like the one on the model.

Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:  I made several changes before coming to the final, desirable finished dress.  They are:

• FBA - I only did half of what I would do in a woven.
• I used the lining pattern for the dress.
• Did not line the dress.
• Added 1" to the sleeve length; I could have added 2.  Next time.
• Removed about 1/2 from the sleeve cap. 
• Added 3" to the length of the dress
• Added a center back seam and did a sway back tuck across the lower back.  It just fits better when I combine the two adjustments for a sway back adjustment.
• raised the center back neckline about 1/2".
• Cut the neckband, facing two inches shorter than recommended for size 14.  I noticed some gaping on the orange version.
• Below the bust to the hem of the dress, I sewed the seam allowance at 1 1/4".  Then I trimmed the allowance to 5/8".

Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?  I plan to use this pattern as a sloper.  There are many options for this simple dress:  sleeve and neckline variations, adding a flounce to the hemline, etc.

I do recommend it to others.  If you have not tried it yet, make sure you make a muslin first to determine if the ruching is right for you.  If you decide to use a textured fabric, think about how it will stretch around the various area of the body.  Does it maintain the textured look?  Does it wrinkle when it is not stretched?

Conclusion:  I'm so happy that I came up with a great little simple knit dress that will offer several design options.

Rhonda's Draped Cowl Sleeve with Vogue 1314 and McCall 6963

I'm delighted to post this blog.  Personally, I think my drafting experience was a success.  This weekend, I made two garments with Rhonda's Draped Cowl sleeve:  McCall 6963 drape neck top and Vogue 1314 dress.  As stated previously, the drafting process was so easy.  It took about an half hour to complete.  I posted the pictures on Instagram and Rhonda kindly indicated that if I wanted more drape, spread the top of the sleeve more.  For these garments I just cut it wider as seen in the photo below.

For the velvet dress, I used the lining pattern, front and back, of Vogue 1314 and the dress neck band.  For the sleeve, I used McCall's 6963 designed by Palmer/Pletsch.  My crushed velvet fabric was purchased in New York City during my little shopping spree with Carolyn and Andrea.

This Vogue pattern has already been reviewed on my blog here.  The construction of the sleeve was super easy.  I serged the edge of the top of the sleeve and the hem.   Then I sewed the long seam.  Next, I folded the facing under to the wrong side.  At the shoulder seam, the facing is slightly overlapped and the rest of the sleeve is attached to the armscye in the usual manner.

Paisley Draped Cowl Top

I wanted to emulate Rhonda's top.  So I decided deciding on a paisley print.  This fabric came from Fabric Mart.  It is a lycra knit with glitter and mylar dots on it.  I took a chance on buying this one, hoping that the glitter would not come off on everything and it does not.  But the mylar dots can be hard to sew on.  So I used waxed paper to help make the sewing easy and it did. ;-) This top is also a part of a blog tour sponsored by "Coats Thread".  So more on that later.

Finally, I used McCall's 6963 to make my draped neck and sleeve top.  This basic pattern has great bones and can be used as a sloper for creating other designs.  My another adjustments are the usual:  swayback and FBA.

Special thanks to Rhonda for your generosity.  Her instructions for this sleeve can be found here.

So that's all for now!

Happy Sewing!
C

Notes of a Pattern (Fabric) - Vogue 1314

Today's post is on Vogue 1314.  This is a Tracy Reese pattern that was published a few years ago.  I first tried it out shortly after the release. Since then, I have concluded that most knit dresses with ruching on the sides are not the best for me.

This dress does require an FBA but doing so caused way too much fabric to accumulate below the bust area.  The affect of the ruching disappears in the excess fabric.  With first version I tried to reduce the FBA by half to see if that would help.  It didn't.

So I decided to try to made a simple t-shirt type dress using the lining (front and back) instead.  This worked, but was not perfect for a few reasons.  The first had to do with again the excess fabric below the bust.  Vertical darts could easily eliminate that problem.  The second issue was much more glaring. My fabric was not as pretty on the body as it was on the cutting table at Vogue in Evanston.

I found it on the assorted knit table.  It called me, but I should not have answered.  Oh it's pretty.  This sherbet orange knit has a raised oval pattern throughout, which makes for an interesting knit dress or top.

The problem is when it is on the body, the textured ovals disappear on the areas that are curved or have no ease.  And where there is ample wearing ease the pattern is visible and looks a bit wrinkled.  I pondered the look for days and thought "I am not going to wear this".  But I've spent so much time on this pattern and dress(es).  I can make it work.  So, on with the dress and off to Rainbow beach on the southeast side of town.

Clearly, this is not a good look.  The stretch of the dress is not consistent across all areas of my body and it just does not look good.  So this one I will give away.

But I'm not defeated yet.  I will give this pattern one more try with a different type of textured knit.

Observation:  All textured knits are not created equal.  Be careful when selecting textured, colorful knits.  Sometimes, when they speak to you, it's okay to ignore them.

Ruching can be flattering.  But it must be in the right places.  Please test.

Question:  This problem fabric did raise a question regarding fitting knits over the curvy areas of the body.  How much ease should there be for a simple dress?  Half inch or inch?  How much ease for the rest of the body without considering style/design?  How tight is too tight?  

Happy Sewing,
Cennetta

Here We Go Again - Vogue 1314 My All Time Favorite TNT Pullover Dress

I paired V1314 with this beautiful Taupe/Mocha/Black/Red stretch striped cotton terry (#308113).  I love the color combination.  Each color can be used to make a cardigan, jacket, or coat to complete a well put together stylish outfit.  The coloration and the stripes are classic 70's.    The knit is lightweight with a lovely drape that falls close to the body.  It feels good on and is super easy to work with.

If you follow my blog, you know I've used this pattern many time.  I just can't stop finding new ways to use Vogue 1314 Tracy Reese Pullover Ruched dress.  Actually, I've used the front and back lining pattern pieces (no ruching for me) to create over a dozen looks.  Can I say it's my favorite TNT pullover dress pattern.

For this dress I lengthen it by several inches and added slits to the side.  No other changes to it beyond the fit, which were made years ago.

My challenge was placement of the horizontal stripes.  I was careful to make sure the pattern of the stripes below the bust was consistent around my body.  My fit adjustments resulted in a bust dart, and it was important for me to try to reduce the appearance of it without disrupting the pattern of the stripes.  I'm very pleased with it and hope to get plenty of wear out of it.

Do I like it?  You bet.  Will I make it again?  YES.  Do I recommend it?  Yes, to every level of sewist.  This is a winner!

If you interested in reading about my other versions of this dress, please click here.

Happy Sewing!
C

Black, Red, and White Striped Rayon Jersey Knit - Vogue 1314

After a mini purge of my closets, I noticed that there were huge empty spaces that need to be filled with more clothes made by me. ;-) I decided to start with a few tops. This is the second of many more to make.  My new toppers will fill the void were the worn tattered garments used to hang. So here's to beefing up my wardrobe with a simple pullover t-shirt made with Mood's Italian Pirate Black/Mars Red/Bright White Bengal Striped Stretch Rayon Jersey Knit.

This jersey is fantastic. It's perfect for keeping it simple. I used Vogue 1314 again. I wanted it to be a quick and easy project; I knew this pattern could deliver with no problem at all. So, here's to simple and easy with great fabric and a must have TNT pattern.

Parting Shot:  flowering bunches in my backyard.

 Happy Sewing!
C