Not so silly dress

After such positive reinforcement from you, my lovely readers, and from family and friends who saw the silly little dress peplum top without photoshop (just kidding), I had to use this pattern again.

Yes I made a dress with a mullet hem (another fashion trend appearing late in my wardrobe)

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Technical details

Pattern: 08-2012-115 with cap sleeves from 08-2012-113

Also available as a downloadable pdf.

Size: 34-42, I made a 42 with my usual swayback adjustment

Fabric: Silk twill outer lined with silk habatoi.

The silk twill has been in my collection for several years. It had almost got to too-good-to-use (the stage just before looking-so-last-years-and-out-of-date- but-not-yet cool-and-retro). Earlier this summer I was going to use this fabric to make a surplice top dress with butterfly sleeves, but this pattern beckoned stronger. And I had a backup plan if the dress didn’t work: chop of the length and have another peplum top!

Changes I made:

I lengthened the skirt (I didn’t trace off the skirt pattern, just lengthened the peplum pieces by 55 cm).

Lined the bodice and cap sleeves with turquoise silk (I love this colour!) and the skirt with white silk (because I didn’t have enough turquoise).

The white silk does show a little at the back due to the mullet, when its breezy, but not much.

The Burda pattern is unlined, but Melissa from Fehr Trade has already posted great instructions on lining the top, so no need for me to repeat here! I pretty much did the same as Melissa and then attached the skirt lining to the bodice lining at the waist and hemmed the skirt 10 cm shorter than the outer.

A light weight fusible interfacing was used to reinforce the lining at the neck and down the front slit. I used the facing pattern pieces to cut the interfacing. A light knit fusible tape on the fashion fabric reinforced the zip opening.

I made baby hems on the skirt and lining. I like this technique. It gives a better finish than a rolled hem foot on my janome for bias, but it does take about three times as long.

I feel very Duchess of Cambridge in this soft floral silk dress and nude shoes. I just need a hat and a garden party.