Pattern Analysis Vogue 1859, Part 7

Success or Fail?

It is finished. Beautifully finished, actually. But it is a FAIL.

Of course, this was a trial run with ugly fabric just to check the pattern. The fabric type and weight were suitable for this design. So the ugly fabric didn’t cause this fail. This fail is due to the pattern drafting.

The gaping under the arms is huge in real life, about three inches too low. The pattern envelope photo is posed in such a way to hide this fact. I can only guess at the number of hidden clips used in the photo shoot. I made a size 22, and the armhole depth finished about 9 1/2 inches deep. Nope. Way too deep.

Then there is the issue of the massive width of the front bodice above the breast line. In the next photo I have assembled the bodice pieces for your viewing pleasure. Note that this is for only one side, so the total width of the front bodies is about 23 inches! The back bodice width is good.

The shoulders are too wide. I would need to reduce this by an inch.
The fit at the bustline is good, but it is pretty slim through the waistline. The finished length hits me right above the ankle, and I am pretty close to six feet tall.

If I decide to have another go at this design I will definitely trace off the bodice front, back, front band, and arm bands. I still like the style of this dress, so I might do it.

And lastly I want to mention the pattern instructions for assembling and stitching the front bands. They are crap. No diagram, just a couple of sentences suggesting to put it together on the inside while pinning on the outside. Craziness. If you’ve been sewing for fifty years you can work it out. Goodness help you otherwise.