via Instagram

This is my very last dress for Frocktober 2015, and it’s the second one I made this month. The fabric is a plaid jersey knit that I bought at The Fabric Store a while back. When I saw the plaid, I immediately thought of Vivienne Westwood, something drapey at the top but cinched in at the waist. Maybe even a little bit punk. Given that my sewing skills aren’t quite up to corsetry, I settled on Myrtle by Colette Patterns as a nice compromise. It features a schwoopy cowl neck bodice (self-lined!), pockets(!), and an elastic waistband. I spent a lot of time on the cutting, trying to make sure that everything was square and the plaid was centered on the skirt and bodice. I realised pretty quickly though that matching it up across seams was going to be impossible. (The pattern includes a neat trick to encase the elastic at the waist, but I couldn’t figure out to match the plaid across the join.) I figure with all the lovely Grecian draping happening, you can’t really tell that it doesn’t line up. I managed all the sewing on Saturday afternoon/evening, and it wasn’t that hard. (I found the sewalong tutorial very helpful for understanding what was happening with the self-lined bodice and the waistband.) I used my overlocker where I could, and I finally mastered the two-needle hem. (The trick is to actually use a ballpoint needle with knits. DUH.) I was so pleased with it, I had to wear it today even though technically it’s now PANTSVEMBER. It’s amazingly comfortable to wear, and I feel like it’s a flattering design for my shape. I really like it!