fail: Vogue 8825

So I've not yet got round to taking pictures of my newer projects yet, but I did remember that last time I did a mass photoshoot I did document a failure that might be useful to share. I made this dress back in February and it's already gone - I tried wearing it and it just did not work for me at all. 

This pattern is Vogue 8825, and I've owned it for years. I went through a phase of buying big 4 patterns on sale thinking it would help get me out of a sewing rut and losing all drive to experiment by the time they arrived. I've given away a chunk of those patterns and it's been a low-key goal of mine to eventually try out all the ones I liked enough to hold onto. I do think a big chunk of the reason I held onto this one is because there's a green version on the pattern envelope and I am obsessed with green stuff to a degree I probably shouldn't be. But it also seemed like it wouldn't be the most taxing or time-consuming to try out, so I gave it a go. 

The problem I was expecting to have with this dress was that it would look too secretarial. I've only seen a couple of people review the pattern and I remember one of them in particular saying "it's nice enough, but I look like I'm going to an office job I don't have". As I also do not have an office job (though I'm hoping that may change soon), I was discouraged from trying it out myself. When I bought this sweater knit from Fabric Land I had the idea that the dress might look less corporate made in a more casual fabric... and yep. That worked much too well and I just look like I'm wearing a giant cardigan. For a while I considered keeping this as a house dress, but the neckline isn't secure enough to slob around in. 

I cut between a 16-18 and that was too big. Without the ties this thing is enormous and too hideous for me to put on the internet. That's certainly at least in part down to my choice of fabric and my playing it safe with the skirt size because I really didn't want it to cling. I cut it slightly shorter than directed so it would hit just above my knee. 

The pattern has wide cuffs to gather the sleeve into, but when I first tried it on I didn't like that at all so I took them out again. I like the idea but it looked super weird on this particular dress. 

My biggest problem with this dress is the top, which looks fine in these pictures but that's because I spent some time carefully arranging it for decency's sake. It's a mock-wrap with a grown on facing and if I were ever to make this again I would need to go in and re-engineer the whole thing. Undeniably I needed a smaller size, but if there's one thing I have learned again and again it's that a wrap bodice needs a finishing method that makes it sit right. Because the front extends into the back collar I wouldn't just be able to swap the facing out for jersey bands, but some elastic at least is needed to stop this just flopping open every which way. Honestly if I did want a dress that looked like this I would probably Frankenstein it together from other patterns rather than try to make this one work. This isn't wearable and I don't like it enough to pour a bunch of effort into retroactive fitting. 

(also the hem looks like shit, but I was past caring by that point)

So this dress is gone, never to be seen again. As is the pattern. The fact that it's still available implies to me that it must be popular, but I don't recommend it, especially if you have a lot of bust. If you have the skills to get this to fit then you have the skills to bodge together something very similar from patterns you already have. I just did not get on with this at all and didn't find either the sewing or the wearing experiences to be enjoyable. I knew this would be an experiment, and it turned out to be a failed experiment, but I am pleased nevertheless that I'm starting to get into my ancient stash of patterns and try some new stuff out. 

I did have a ton of this fabric (it was the end of the bolt so I just took the entire thing) and had enough to make yet another Named Kielo, which you don't need me to say a single word more about ever but here is a six-month-old picture of it:

I wore this constantly for four months until it got too hot. I love the colour of this fabric and am really glad I've been able to get some of it into my wardrobe. Also when I have my glasses on I look like Velma from Scooby Doo and that brings me joy. 

I continue to hope that I'll be in a place for photoshoots this week, though temperatures of 30+ don't usually bode well for productivity. It is 31 degrees Celsius today and I am going to a gig. Assuming I manage not to die there I will be back again with something or another next week!

Vogue 8825 dress

Fabric: Lightweight mustard sweater knit from Fabric Land
Cost: about £10
Pattern details: Mock-wrap dress with grown-on facing extending into back collar, cuffed sleeves and wide waist ties. Pattern also includes tunic version and elastic-waist trousers
Size: 16 out to 18 at the hips
Alterations: Cut shorter length, no cuffs used
Would make again/would recommend: No/No