Burda 06/2013 #138 is another potential dress pattern for my delightful yellow roses fabric.
My trial version is in a souvenir fabric featuring street scenes from Paris. It’s a light weight ponte, so a good match in terms of drapiness and body to my yellow roses fabric.
It’s a lovely pattern and I like the resultant dress, but I’m not sold on this as the right pattern for the yellow roses.
This is good pattern for fabric with a large print that you don’t want to break up with lots of seams. My fabric was 150 cm wide with the two different panels across the width. The panels almost flow from one to another but not exactly. A bit like looking up a street towards the Eiffel Tower in one panel and then down the street in the opposite direction.
One panel needed to be on the front and the other on the back. Putting the Eiffel Tower on the front seemed like it had too much potential for looking like an unintended phallic symbol (maybe I was overthinking it…).
So, the decision was simple – the Eiffel Tower on the back
The bodice pieces with their integrated sleeves couldn’t both fit across the width of the fabric either, even if offset or one of them was placed upside down. A centre back seam, some fabric tetris and I solved that fabric meterage constraint.
I’d recommend a full centre back seam and zip in a simpler fabric, or one that wasn’t impacted by seaming. Eiffel Tower I’m looking at you! I know side zips work, but I really prefer to step into a dress and zip up though the back.
My side zip went in a bit lower than drafted, so a button and loop was added at the top.
This is a size 46 bust and waist out to a size 48 hips with a 1 cm forward should eradjustment and 2 cm petite adjustment above the bust. I think the petite adjustment was not needed when I look of where that bust dart ends.
The hemline is ever so slightly lower in the back than the front. I hemmed the dress 1.5 cm shorter than drafted.
The neckline is quite wide. I added my normal 1 cm seam allowance but sewed the facing on with a 5 mm seam allowance.
It also gapes a bit. Not sure what fit issue that might be – a need for a FBA? narrow shoulders (I’ve never had a large bust or narrow shoulders in my life..) I do wonder whether those drag lines are due as much to poor posture as they are to fit.
I don’t feel any closer to a pattern I’m happy to use for my special fabric but I do have two new frocks in my wardrobe.
Perhaps I need to audition some coat patterns?
He Cooks... She Sews! 
Hi! I’ve been following you for a while- you do such a beautiful job! This is my first time commenting, I hope I’m not intruding. Your fabric, and saying you wanted something more fun, made me of Butterick 5353, if you are OK with a sleeveless dress. It’s an OOP pattern, but has what I call an Isis neckband that I think makes it more fun. Several reviews on pattern review, including some with a fuller skirt.
Welcome! Not intruding at all! That is a really lovely pattern and thanks for suggesting it.
Gosh, I love the dress and the fabric. Just beautiful. I wondered what that dress looked like on a real person and not one who is 6′ 10′ and as slim as a pencil. I really love this and I think it is the perfect decision to put the Eiffel Tower on the back. Dare I say I like this better than the yellow roses?
Thank you! It is lovely looking fabric too but can’t compare with the feel and sheen of the silk and linen yellow roses.
Such a beautiful dress Liz. Your pattern placement is perfect as is your sewing. I love seeing your makes and hope you have somewhere special to wear this lovely dress. My pick for the rose fabric would be a really cute little jacket. I wonder if the new pattern from Leisl and Co could be a contender.
Thank you. I have had a chance to wear it out – to a special church event (socially distanced..). We are so lucky in Adelaide to be back to zero community transmission and able to get out and about.
I love that new Leisl and Co jacket pattern. Thanks for pointing it!
This is lovely, that fabric! <3<3<3 The neckline might have got stretched when sewing, maybe? The rest of the front looks fine, so I'd guess that's the cause of the gappping. You've chosen the perfect pattern for that fabric, beautiful!
[…] fabric is the partner to the Paris street scenes fabric. Both were bought on a bit of a whim from Ribes & Casals in Barcelona whilst on holiday. How […]
amazing fabric, what a find! Glad you found the right pattern for the Paris print
Yes indeed!