Pattern Review: McCall’s 6752 [Stripey Sundress]

Pattern: McCall’s 6752, view D
Fabric: gifty from my Spring Sewing Swap partner Sue 
Size: 8 graded to a 10 at the hips

Sandals: Nine West (old)
Crossbody: Michael Kors
Sunnies: Tommy Hilfiger

I only made this dress a little less than a month ago, but I’ve worn it a bunch of times already.  It’s so easy to wear!  I knew with a fabric this funky, I wanted to sew a dress that had simple design lines that would show off the multi-directional nature of the print.  And since the surplice style of the bodice is cut on the bias, it made the stripe direction even crazier.  Love this dress!

I read a review somewhere online about how the reviewer thought this was a ho-hum, yawn-inducing pattern.  Honestly, I think this is a case of you get out of it what you put into it: if you don’t use some kind of fun print, then yeah, you’re going to get a little bit of a snooze-fest dress.  But really, I would make this again out of a solid black or red knit.  It’s a great basic dress pattern that can be styled in many different ways- I actually wore it to a seminar last week with a cropped black blazer and peep-toe heels and felt professional but stylish.

I was apprehensive about how this dress would fit, what with the low-cut neckline and a potential for gapeage.  Since I’ve been noticing a large amount of ease when sewing Big 3 knit patterns, I cut out an 8 for the bodice and 10 for the skirt instead of the usual 10 for the bodice/12 for the skirt I cut for patterns calling for woven fabrics.  It actually worked like a charm and didn’t need to be taken in any more to achieve the fit I like with knit garments.  Honestly, why would there be no negative ease with knits, or at least zero ease…

Although I got the dress to fit, I still recommend to anyone who wants to make this dress to tack down the criss-cross neck.  It’s got to be almost impossible, because of the drape,  for this dress to not flap wide-open when wearing.  Also, if you’re thinking about skipping the elastic, you will end up with a drastically different-shaped dress.  Before I inserted the elastic I thought there was no way that this dress was going to fit me since I was swimming in the bodice.  After sewing in the elastic, I couldn’t believe how much the bodice changed!

So yes, this is my new go-to, wear-everywhere summer dress.  I just wish that the fabric was holding up better since I lovelovelove the striped-ness and squealed out loud when Sue sent me this fabric.  Sadly, it’s starting to pill and the black is fading (I think the black is printed onto the white fabric).  I’m going to try and get as much wear out of this dress as I can!