Frocktober: Tiramisu

It is highly unlikely that a dubious not-what-I-expected internet purchase fabric and a pattern-bought-for-other-than-aesthetic-appeal would, in combination, turn into my new favourite at-home dress, but somehow, 2 wrongs have made a right. How did this happen? Sewing serendipity is not a frequent occurrence under these circumstances.

I was making a not wearable muslin, out of a sense of duty and thriftiness. The pattern, you have already read in the title, was Tiramisu from Cake Patterns. I bought this pattern last Spring in the pre release sale, thinking that although I had several wrap and mock wrap knit dress patterns, and I loathe cut on sleeves, it would be a Good Thing to buy a pattern from a relatively local blogger- newly-turned-sewing-businesswoman in the initial throes of her start up. My vague thought that I would make up this dress straight away and get it over with was instantly killed by the teenage fashion panel, who thought the pattern illustration looked dumpy. Dumpy is not a good word. I realise that there is a unwritten rule in blogging that when a micro pattern company is deliberately using "realistic" illustrations you are not supposed to criticize them, but there you are, Dumpy. We must be indoctrinated by the fashion industry to expect 6 foot underweight imaginary models for pattern illustrations, very sad.
This is also why I gave in to the commands took my teenage fashionista photographer's advice to pose in a "look at me" manner as above. I am astounded by the apparent skinniness of the first shot. How deceptive! I shall have to stand side on and leaning backwards for the rest of my life.
Unfortunately  I do not think this is possible.

I knew that there were many, many completely non-dumpy versions of this dress on the internet, but one's personal teenage fashion panel is fairly influential, and the pattern had a dumpy aura in our house that was hard to shake off.
I have a long term goal to use all my patterns and not have lurking fabric stash dwellers. To try out this dumpy dress, that could possibly be a dress-about-the-house if my daughters were not at home to despise it, I used a striped rayon knit that is very thin. This was not a fabric I would have purchased in a shop, but on the internet it was called medium weight and suitable for t shirts. Some people must like to wear see- through t shirts. I really thought I would be using up two dubious possessions at once, and clearing out my sewing materials oversupply.
I sort of fancied the illustration of the stripey version of the dress, although personally I usually think that cutting out a knit on the bias is a waste of fabric. Knits already drape and stretch rather a lot. Increasing the drape and stretch on my thin and not-very-stable knit by following the bias cut out was possibly a bad decision, but I did it anyway.
However, I did not throw caution completely to the wind. I stabilised a lot - more than suggested by the pattern instructions.

The horizontal seams are stablised with lingerie elastic, no stretch. The bias vertical seams are stabilized with woven selvage ( I used woven selvage where the pattern instructed fusible interfacing as well). I added clear elastic (slight stretch) when topstitching the neck binding.
 I didn't use the pockets. Pockets in a knit have a tendency to stretch whenever you put anything in them, which I find unappealing.

I quite liked this pattern as I cut it out - several cup sizes, including A as different from B, and up to D, check. Draw your own waist measurement, check. However, having only one size for high bust 30 (inches) to 34 (inches)? Uncheck. I am the smallest size, and so are my daughters? Come on, I am 43! I am not skinny! My daughters are not the same size as me, and yet are fully grown and quite normal sized young women, and this dress does not come in their sizes, as the smallest size was fine on me, and like a sack on them - that would be the 10 cm of extra ease they don't need at the bust! Taking in this much at the side seams as suggested is a lot of distortion, and when I pinned it, still looked awful on them. In my opinion, this pattern starts at a size 34 high bust, which would be about a size 38 in Burda, a size 12 in big 4 patterns (or 10 really, as Big 4 have a lot of ease). This is limiting.

I did not like this pattern as I sewed it up. 1/2 inch as a seam allowance simply meant that I sewed all seams at 5/8inch, 1.5cm, as this is what I am used to sewing, and where the guidelines are on my machine. Using a non standard seam allowance just for the sake of it is annoying.Knits don't need this much seam allowance, but what is wrong with using other standard measurements such as 1cm,( 3/8 inch) or even 1/4 inch. Grumble, grumble.
It was with the full expectation of being about to throw this in the the bin that I tried on the dress after wasting and afternoon sewing it indulging in some experimental sewing.
It looked much better than I expected.
Only see through.
I made a petticoat (more about this later).

I am eating humble pie.
It is a terrific dress pattern.
I even like the cut on sleeves, how strange.

I will consider buying more of these patterns - but not for my daughters.

 Stashbusting statistics 2.3 m or so of overly thin rayon knit from an unmentionable internet source, 2013 + 2.3 m or so of thicker rayon knit from the remnant warehouse 2013.