Marfy Shift Dress

My discovery of Marfy patterns led me to the purchase their latest catalogue, which also comes with 20 free patterns.  I figured that 20 free patterns made it well worth the investment and shipping from Italy.

I thought I would start with a nice simple shift dress.  I took a fancy to the uneven hemline with slightly curved corners, matched with a square but curved neckline.  The side darts add waist definition as well as room for the bust.

I made a couple of adjustments to the muslin:

• added 3/4" above the dart but below the armhole to provide for my low bust; 
• removed 3/4" front the length of the skirt to provided for the amount added above the bust; and 
• added 1/4" to the front and back side seams from the waist down.

The back has two darts to give the dress a snug fitted look through the waist.  I inserted a 55cm lap zipper by hand, using a pick stitch.  I love that you can barely tell that there's a zip there :-)

I purchased this really cool snake skin print from the Arthur Toye closing down sale for just $5 per metre - it's a polyester crepe (I think), with a really nice fall.

The fabric needed more body, so as not to stick to me with a little static, but rather skim over my body and fall uninterrupted, so I interlined it with silk organza and then lined it with a cotton viole.  The pattern doesn't provide for any facings but not necessary when it is fully lined.  I inserted the lining by hand with a wee fell stitch.

What I have discovered is that this isn't a dress that I can wear in the winter, because the cotton viole and stockings just don't go together!

While this is my second Marfy make (my first here), this is the first one I've made solo.  It was relatively straight forward and I'm happy with the final result - instructions are over rated!!!

More photos on my Flickr -->