Pattern: Simplicity 2591

I had bought this pattern a few years ago (yes… that’s right! I know hard to believe…). Finally I decided to make a dress using it.

Here’s my finished dress:

This dress went through a lot of trials (pun and no pun!) and tribulations. I tried it so many times in between and then had to make a lot of alterations. All because I didn’t read the size guide right. Looks like I needed the bust from one size and the waist and hips from another. Serves me right for not reading the pattern end to end! That’s when I decided to write this.

Because the bust size was bigger than what was right for me, the neck was wider than I wanted it to be. When I tried to make the neck smaller, the front and the back was messed up. With great difficult I saved this dress.

I love that fabric and that is why I was so mad at myself for not getting this right. Here are my thoughts after using this pattern:

1. Read the sizing guide to see whether you can use one size or if you are in between. Of course this had to be my first feedback to myself!
2. I felt the pattern was more intermediate than a beginner pattern. There were a few places where I wasn’t clear on the instructions. Once or twice I actually did the wrong thing, ripped the seam and started all over again.
3. I need to learn how to get the neck right. Since the neck is cut on a bias, I think it stretched while was stitching. It didn’t help a neck that was wider to begin with.
4. The zipper took me a few iterations to get it right. I got an invisible zipper because that’s what most of the readymade dresses have. The first zipper I stitched the pull came off and it’s hard to get it back in for an invisible zipper. So then I bought another zipper. Eventually after 2-3 tries I got it done and now it looks beautiful (invisible).
5. If you see behind the neck, you will find two seams on either side of the zipper. I had to put them in because otherwise the back wouldn’t sit flat on my back.

Still I like the dress