Revisiting Vogue 1312: The Knit Version

Stash-busting 2013:  Project #3

Fabric used:  4.2 metres of crepe knit. I had my eye on this fabric for quite some time. I finally broke down and picked some up in late 2012 despite having an insane fabric stash.

Interfacing:    1.1 knit interfacing busted out of my fabric stash, purchased to use for baby sleepers but was also perfect for this project.

Pattern:           Vogue 1312 first came into my sewing stash when it first was released last summer (2012). I ordered it online but it was taking forever. So I purchased one at my local Fabricland because I couldn't wait any longer. Snail mail is brutal. When it finally arrived, it was shipped back across the U.S. border to a good home of a pattern give-away winner.

*****

Vogue 1312 has to be the most comfortable dress that I have in my closet. I made the sleeveless version last August in a black linen.

This time around I am making the long sleeve version in a  100% polyester crepe knit. And now that I had some success sewing knits with my walking foot it seems like the perfect time to tackle this project.

Or maybe not. From the get go, I was making goofs right, left and centre, literally. I stitch up the bodice as if I were making the sleeveless version. I don't know what I was thinking! Needless to say, I spent many hours carefully unravelling the tiny knit stitches without snagging my knit fabric. It was serious work, I had to dig out my reading glasses.

The fabric is a fairly recent 2012 addition to my fabric stash. It was added this past fall as soon as it went on sale at 50% off with just this dress in mind.

The pattern calls for a side zipper but I went without one since it worked out well for Dorothy when she made her dress in a cotton interlock knit. And I kept the same alterations on the length that I did on my first version.

Sew, I won't be notion busting with this project. Actually, I had to step into the fabric store to find matching thread and tape. Oh well, I tried my best, but it had to be done.

I agree with Dorothy's review that the dress does run a little large size wise. I do like the way it fits around the waist but the bodice I cut down a size smaller. I'm pleased with this result.

The fabric was a challenge. It doesn't fray so I didn't have to set up the serger (overlock) for this project. But I did have to break out some tape to help hem up this skirt. I mentioned that this knit likes to curl like nobody's business. I'm not kidding. There would have been no way that I could piece this together without the help of pins, lots of pins!

And the hem I had to tape up before I could stitch it in place. The hemline was perfect. I didn't tape the sleeve hem.

I should have though because it turned out looking like pintucks instead of a twin needle hem. I like this mistake so I wasn't about to pick up the seam ripper again. Or maybe I left it as is because I just didn't want to seam rip?

Either way, I thought this dress was worth all the time consuming seam ripping and taping. I love my new dress.

Happy Sewing!