Finished: Butterick 5676

Butterick 5676

I finished B5676.  It's just what I needed: a little black dress.  This one is made out of inexpensive ponte double knit from Tissufabrics.  I know there is lycra in it, but beyond that I am not sure.  It's clearly man made fibres.  It's not cheap and awful double knit though.  It feels soft and comfortable, doesn't wrinkle and can be slung in the washing machine and tumble drier.   These are all big pluses for me and my lifestyle.

This pattern was rated as "easy" by the pattern company, and it was not difficult.  It was time consuming, though.  All those seams and topstitching take time.  Especially on my machine, when I am sewing with the knit stitches.  Then I wish I had an industrial machine!  

I cut the bodice pieces in size 12.  The final triangular wedge in a size 14 and the bottom front and back pieces in a size 16.  This worked out fine.  It was simple to just ease in the extra fabric since this was a knit.  In retrospect, the third wedge down could also have been a 12, but I definitely needed the 16 at the bottom.

The seaming across the bodice is nice and clean.  I used my quilter's quarter inch foot as a guide.

This is the only picture where I didn't play with the colour to bring out the seams.  This is a good indication of the fabrics actual appearance.

The neck wasn't so tidy.  I really did try.  I used the quarter inch guide and tried to go slow.  Some how I messed up the concentric lines on the neck band, none the less.  Because the dress is black and fits well over all, I am not going to worry about it.   But so much for my earlier snippy comments about RTW doing a shoddy job!  I bet they would do much better in this case.

OK, the seams are a disgrace, but at least the neckband is set in nicely and lays perfectly flat!

After recognising my short comings with the neck band, I tried using a double needle on the sleeve bands.  I am not sure that this was any better.

At least some of the lines are parallel here!  But not all.

Even taking into account the numerous imperfections here, I am happy.  I have an easy to care for, easy to wear dress that fits both my shoulders and hips simultaneously.  We are heading out for a biking holiday and I will toss this one into my duffel bag with pleasure!

I'd like to make this one again in the Spring in a tangerine colour.  I do hope a more technically skilled seamstress makes this and shares how to get all these parallel seams looking good.