Thursday, August 14, 2025

Sew Catchup - Spring Dress


I have been a lazy blogger  this year. I realize blogs aren't as popular/read as they once were. But this is my way of documenting my sewing for myself. So this is the first of several posts to catch up on garment sewn earlier this year.

In April, my local American Sewing Guild chapter had a tea party inspired event. We were encouraged to wear our party hats and fascinators.  I don't wear hats/fascinators. I like dresses though.  For some unexplained reason, all the spring dresses in my closet had shrunk. So I made a new one.  

Knipmode 2404-10 dress.  The fabric was a viscose print from Fabric Mart Fabrics. The pattern is available as a PDF download from the Knipmode  website. Instructions are in Dutch and can be translated with Google Translate 

Knipmode 2404-10

 The tie on the right hand side is cut as one with the dress front and when seamed, forms the gathering at the side waist. The dress was easy to sew except that the edge of the bottom half of the front pattern piece (D,E area in drawing below) was on the bias and stretched out a bit. It had to be eased into the front button band. And I think, because of this, the dress hem droops a bit on that side.  Something nobody but me would notice. The left front is one piece, cut on the straight of grain, with a waist tie inserted in the side seam.

Knipmode 2404-10 right front pattern 

 A couple weeks later I saw a Burda dress  (10 2024 107) with similar front waist styling, but the RHS front pattern was drafted with a waist seam and sewn on tie.  This design kept the edges, where the button band is sewn, on the straight of grain, and required less fabric. I found the comparison of the two dresses interesting.

Burda 10 2024 107  right front pattern

I enjoyed wearing the dress to the ASG event and out to some family birthday dinners  at fancy restaurants. The waist with the tie in front and elastic in back is very forgiving.


KnipMode 2024 04 #10

10 comments:

  1. Very cute dress, love it!

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  2. Lovely dress. I’ve been eyeing of the Burda one-thanks for the comparison

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  3. Dear Audrey, I'm always happy to read a post by you. I like your style and how you aproach your sewing, a mixture of scientific research and playful experimentation, with stellar results. My favorite was the checkered pantsuit from a few years ago.

    Dagmar

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  4. I have looked forward to your new posts for years. The way you analyzed the two dress patterns above is one of the reasons why I love your blog. You are experienced and skilled as a sewist and can understand why a bias cut hem would droop. (I have the Burda version and will now make it after reading your take on the pattern.) I value your thoughts on patterns and sewing in general. If you don't mind, please, keep it coming!

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    1. Thank you for the nice comment and encouragement.

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  5. I'm always glad to see you post something, especially when it happens to be something I've got in my queue as well.
    If you happen to remember, how much material did this dress eat up? How wide was it? I'm assuming since it wasn't a directional print you cut some upside down.. right? (if you don't remember the details, its ok. I just thought I'd ask on the off chance you recall.)
    Yours looks good, and I'm glad for the warning about a bias section of hem.

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    1. I purchased 3 yards of 56" wide fabric. I have about 1/4 yard left. Pattern instructions recommend (converted from meters) 2.6 yards of 55 " wide fabric. The right front pattern piece is a fabric hog, but it is cut in a single layer. I don't remember if I but any piece upside down, sorry.

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  6. I love blogs and only wish there were as many of them as there used to be. I learned a lot about sewing and styling an older body from them in the past. Peoples’ sewing then was so prolific though, and it’s not surprising that a lot of people found it too much to keep up with. So, anyway, what I meant to say was that I appreciate any sewing blog, but especially one like yours which adds to my sewing knowledge. I’m glad it fulfills a purpose for you, and thanks for doing it.

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