It feels good to finally make this pattern! I must have pulled Vogue 8685 out a dozen times or more because I just love those style lines, but I never felt like I had the proper fabric to do it justice. When I recently discovered Joann's "refined ponte" fabric, I thought it would be a good match. The rayon/nylon/spandex fabric is very heavy weight but has a lovely feel to it, unlike so many of the other polyester knits they carry. You have to dig a little, and I was disappointed to find that some of the refined ponte has less rayon and more nylon content which doesn't look or feel nearly as nice. But this cranberry color is beautiful. I am very curious to see how it holds up over time. The thinner rayon knits that I have purchased at Joanns pill terribly, and I hope that is not the case with this particular textile.
As far as knits go, I know that ponte is extremely stable, but it still pushes me out of my comfort zone. Top-stitching is a little stressful, especially over the bulky seams. But I made it work!
And my serger got a tiny workout.
I still can't believe how quickly knits sew up. Even with having to take in the sleeves (they are massively oversized), and messing with the side hip/yoke join to make it smooth, this project only took me a few days to complete. Which feels crazy to me.
I guess all that seam binding really does take time to apply; not that I am going to give it up, or my woven fabrics any time soon.
But I do have to say I enjoyed stitching this dress together, and I rather like the result!
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ReplyDeleteI have had this pattern for a couple of years. Yes I too didnt like most of the fabrics that I had touched, squeezed and so forth. I will try the fabric in this article and will write back regarding my success. I do love and enjoy sewing. I dont have the luxury to block out hours of a day to sew as I would like, i have to "steal" the moments. I will write back, it will just take awhile. Thank you for this suggestion.
ReplyDeleteThe dress is lovely, the colour scrumptious and so you. I imagine ponte is rather easier to sew than other stretchier knits. And hopefully it will wear well.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely less slinky than a lot of knits!
DeleteMy daughter and I..... and many of her sewing friends... follow your sewing blog, lilacs and lace. We're always learning something new to help out our sewing skills. (I'm in my late 50's and daughter and friends in late 20's, and I've sewn since I was a teen.) We truly enjoy admiring your creations and the skill shown throughout the entire process. This fabric weight is perfect for the lines of this dress. Well done!
ReplyDeleteJoAnn's!! You could find platinum bars in a dollar store.
ReplyDeleteKeep warm Laura Mae, temperate temps shall return.