Butterick for a change

Earlier in the year I took advantage of a Butterick pattern sale and bought about five or so patterns, two of which were for knit fabrics.

I had some purple double knit jersey in my stash that I had bought to make a hoodie, but never quite got there!  I figured that the purple would look better in a dress than a hoodie anyway.  Not that these photos do the colour any justice - see those clouds, need I say more!!!

This is Butterick B5915, described as a semi-fitted, lined dress (close-fitting through bust).  I selected to make a size 12, based on my bust measurement.  Knowing that my hips wouldn't fit I graded the patterns out to a size 14 for my lower half.

I didn't make a muslin for this one - it's a knit dress!  That was the bit that fooled me.  While the shell of the dress was a double knit jersey I had purchased tricot for the lining - as recommended by the pattern.  Having never used tricot before I wasn't really sure what I was in for, but I quickly worked out that the tricot is what gives the dress the structure it needs.

At one stage I considered whether I could make the dress without the side zip - it just seemed weird inserting a zipper into a double knit jersey fabric.  If the dress was lined with a stretch satin or similar then the zip probably wouldn't be required.  The invisible zipper actually went in smoothly.

Before putting in the zipper I basted the side seams together so I could do a fit check, particular for my hips.  What would you know, it was too big!  So I brought the hips back into a size 12, but my hips are so NOT 36".

I didn't cut the lining until I had the shell of the dress complete and knew what fitting changes I had made.  For the lining I cut a perfect size 12 all the way through, BUT I could have done with grading the lining out to a size 14 for the extra room.   Sure it fits and I can move around but it just feels a little snugger than it could be.

Final thought ... the dress doesn't have to be made with a knit fabric, it would work just as well with a woven fabric with a bit of drape to it, so the pleats in the shoulder don't appear stiff - not that you can really see the shoulder pleats in these photos ... and this is my second attempt at getting some photos, but the damn weather just doesn't want to play my game when I have time!  So this is all I got today.