Friday, April 17, 2015

V9081 LBD

Marcy Tilton calls Vogue 9081 her Block Dress. It contains a cropped cardigan for knits and a dress for woven fabrics. The dress has two views. One is sleeveless and the other has 3/4 length sleeves. They also have slightly different *blocks* so you have several options.



The cover photos show view C in a subtle and sophisticated combination of linen in three solid colors. I messed around with my stash, hoping for a pretty combination in linen. Linen is my hands-down favorite fabric to sew, especially during the spring season when I've become tired of winter fabrics.

Instead I realized that I have a lot of black cotton in my stash so I harvested two. Each is Japanese, one from Waechter's in Asheville, NC, and the other from Josephine's in Portland, OR. Each is a different weave, with dominant black and smaller amounts of white. Each piece has an interesting (and different) front and back. They are approximately the same weight and drape though one is much denser.

Back with a little square from the other fabric.

During the preparation of the pattern tissue, I confused the measurements on the outside of the envelope with the measurements on the pattern tissue. Yikes! What was I thinking? Of course, the measurements on the outside are body measurements suggested for each size. And the measurements on the pattern tissue are finished garment measurements. So I attempted mid-course to convert a size 12 to a size 14.

This was a good time to remind myself that I sew for fun and that this is only fabric.



Now that it is completed, I'm pretty jazzed about it. It is a dress that I will feel good in. And I look forward to making it again, perhaps using the right size. I am pretty sure the size 14 would have been just right with no adjustments.

Inset pocket
Some notes:
  • In her blog, Marcy described this as tapered at the hem. My bottom panel is a rectangle and not tapered. But I did have to ease it onto the upper part of the dress so that creates a taper starting mid-thigh. Probably I just misunderstood what was meant by a tapered hem.
  
  • The unique pocket construction was challenging and it seemed the instructions were a little light here. You have to insert a concave right angle into a convex right angle, much like a Y seam. I was glad I had done similar things before.
  • Marcy's blog mentioned something about the pocket being cut on the bias, but the pattern tissue for each pocket piece shows straight of grain. It probably made very little difference because the pocket is small.
  • The pocket is adorable and worth the effort!
  • As Marcy points out in her blog, this is also a great tunic pattern if you just leave off the bottom panel (or make it more narrow).
Here it is before adding the lower panel. I like this tunic too.
Another very cool design from Marcy Tilton!

13 comments:

  1. Love the fabric combination you used with this dress! Well done.

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  2. Tres cute, Martha. I'll take another look at this pattern now.

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  3. Like your version very much. I wasn't "taken" with this pattern at first, but your make makes me want to try it now.

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  4. Now this is a pattern with a lot of interest. You made it come alive with your fabric choices.

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  5. Just got to say I really like your version of this.

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  6. What a treat to see your version of a LBD, Martha! This turned out so nice and perfect for you - it looks wonderful as a tunic on you in the pic. I really like the way Marcy worked a princess seam in the the coor blocking on this shift, keeps it from being overly blocky and gives a great line.

    Seeing makes like this i wish my figure was more of a rectangle, as much as i love her designs it's the rare one of Marcy's that works with my IT/hourglass. I've ordered both her new dresses, they look v. promising! But seeing not that many designers focus on great designs for rectangles i say more power to Marcy and you ladies who rock her designs!!

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  7. The tunic length looks great on you. I am sure the dress does too. I am always on the lookout for interesting linens. The ones you used in this dress are really wonderful. I especially love how a little square is formed in the lower center front from the lines in the fabric and the seaming.

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  8. I love this as a tunic though I know you will rock this pattern as a dress. The mix of B/W (grey too) is gorgeous and I love your arrangement of the prints. I have this pattern set aside for warmer temps, and I am looking forward to using either batiks or solid and floral. Hey, did you get a haircut...or is it tied back? Cute!!

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  9. As you said, this really is a cool pattern. What great cottons you used. Thks for the tips/notes on the taper and pocket. forewarned! And I like your hair as well, very becoming.

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  10. Saw your review at PR and had to come see more information. This is a very flattering dress on you and see the potential for a tunic.

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  11. Really nice fabric choices - and wowsa on the pattern match across the fabrics on the bottom panel. Adding this pattern to my cart now!

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  12. Really nice fabric choices - and wowsa on the pattern match across the fabrics on the bottom panel. Adding this pattern to my cart now!

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