Thank you for your lovely comments about Felicity’s dress.
I have one more photo of that event to show you, because I have a scuba dress too…
Why do I have a scuba dress? It was all part of the formal dress drafting journey I’ve been on.
One of my lovely readers, Tj, theperfectnose, suggested Burda 6858 as a springboard pattern for the bodice to knock off the inspiration dress.
It was close. I liked it. And I very much liked the dress Erica Bunker made from this pattern.
How to do an FBA in this style? Would I need to since it was scuba, and Erica didn’t say she’d done one, and she does for some other patterns?
Only one way to find out! Make one that fits me and see how it looks on her.
There was some logic to this – our bust measurement is the same, but I’m several cup sizes less than Felicity, and larger than her through the waist and hips.
There was also fair amount of escapism. Paper pattern! No drafting! Cute printed scuba in my hot little hands! A stretch lace that would coordinate with it!
Conclusion: It did fit her through the bust. But the waist was too loose and the hips not fitted enough. Plus, she didn’t like the style, particularly the waist seam.
Bonus: It does almost fit me 🙂
Technical details
Pattern: Burda 6858, style C
Size: 32-42, I made a 42. Flat pattern measures told me there was a lot of negative ease in this pattern. There is photographic evidence below. I do feel a bit like I’m wearing a sausage casing, and there’s a bit too much sausage. But YOLO. (Can you tell I’ve spent too much time with teenagers recently?)
Fabric: printed scuba from Spotlight with cotton stretch lace from Tessuti’s for the inserts. I’ve used this red stretch lace previously for contrast sleeves on a top. Seems I’m destined not to make a whole garment out of this fabric! I also used a strip of Felicity’s formal dress poly stretch lining for the neck facing.
The neck facing was stitched down with a double needle, but I left off topstitching the other seams.
It’s a fun dress!
He Cooks... She Sews! 
Not only is it fun, it is really pretty as well! What a good score!
Thanks. It was fun to make and a welcome respite from drafting Felicity’s formal dress. Plus its now fun to wear.
It is a fun dress. I like the lines on you too, its very shapely without looking at all overfitted.
You’re very kind. You should have seen some of the out takes.
I agree with Kbenco, it does not look over fitted… no sausage look there. It looks really great and fun on. I love the lace sleeves and I think with less casual shoes, this dress could double as something super special.
This dress does have date night potential. Provided not too much eating was required.
Great dress, it suits you.
Thanks Gail
I thought I recognised that fabric from Spotlight. This dress turned out very well and looks lovely on you.
I couldn’t resist this in Spotlight. Cutting out was a bit tricky with the large wide brown stripes running the length of the fabric. I’d be interested to see what others have done with this fabric.
Fun fun fun! It looks great on you!
Thanks Clio
not a sausage in sight. love the mix of scuba print and lace.
thanks. mixing vaguely tribal print scuba and cotton floral lace, both very bright, could have ended in disaster, but was surprisingly satisfying