Better late than never!

 

I am a few days late with this finish of the Colette Sewing Handbook Truffle Dress for the Sew Colette sew-along, but let me tell you: it was worth it.

Before I even stitched up my muslin for this dress, I made all of the adjustments I had made to my Pastille Dress, except for a few random adjustments to the back bodice, to the pattern pieces. Then I stitched up my muslin and--miracle of miracles! It nearly fit! In fact, the front fit perfectly (!!) and the back fit perfectly, too, until about 5" up from the waistline. I am coming to terms with the fact that my back is narrower and shorter than Colette Patterns are meant for, so I went two more rounds to perfect the back so that it was nicely tailored. That is the piece that threw me off schedule to meet the sew-along deadline. (And the hem really is straight; I am just standing with my hips canted in this photo!)

Here's a side shot, where you can see the drape a little better. Because of the print, it kind of disappears into the fabric, but there's movement when I walk, which is very sweet. The fabric I used is a gorgeously soft and drapey rayon poplin. I scored mine at a fabric store in Portland, Maine last summer, but some is still available here (on clearance!) It was my first time working with something like this, and I think I did pretty okay. I cut the fabric with paper underneath, to reduce the slipperiness, and I made sure everything was on grain before cutting.

The bodice is lined with an electric blue quilting-weight cotton, which really did the trick! It's structured and the bodice looks extra smooth, where it would sag slightly if unlined. Because the rayon is so drapey, though, it kept sliding off the table, ironing board, sewing desk... The neckline gapes a little, probably because it could've benefited from some stay-stitching right off the bat.

I love everything about this dress: the shape, the feel, even the skirt drape, which I wasn't crazy about but decided to include because I think Sarai knows what she's doing! I would like to make another in a crisper fabric, more like the example in the book. And then I'd like to make one without the drape, maybe with a fuller skirt (with pleats at the waist?), or maybe another using the skirt pattern from the Pastille dress instead... I dare say, it may be the summer of the Truffle for me!