The Big Apple

Well, here we have it: the lowdown on my second go at Cynthia Rowley's overlay dress pattern (Simplicity 8086). If you want to hear about the pattern itself, you can head over to my original post about it. This time I'll just share pretty pictures and talk through the changes I made.

I used a much lighter fabric this time, some sort of soft, thin polyester that I was delighted to pick up super-cheap while holidaying in Hong Kong earlier this year. I'd been hunting for a decent printed fabric that wasn't a floral for flippin' ages and this fit the bill perfectly. Me and my friend Jo were enthusiastically commenting on its luxe appearance - "it could totally be Gucci" - when, according to Tom, a couple walked past the shop and muttered "that fabric looks ridiculous". Yes, ridiculously GOOD.

My last attempt at this dress was in crepe, which was much thicker. I think perhaps the pleated skirt looked better on that one, because the stiffer fabric has more structure, and therefore the pleats are more noticeably defined. However, parts of the bodice felt pretty bulky after sewing the pieces together, even after trimming away most of the seam allowance. Particularly around the armholes, I could feel it standing out.

The thinner polyester makes for a more flattering bodice. The edges are cleaner and it sits more comfortably against my body.


The fabric is a little see-through. Not a problem on the bodice, since there are in fact FOUR layers of fabric. But for the skirt, I had to make a lining. A simple process: I just duplicated the skirt pieces in a lining fabric and followed the usual instructions for forming the skirt. Then I basted it to the outer skirt along the top edge, wrong sides together, before sandwiching that edge between the waistband pieces.


As with the crepe dress, I altered the neckline. I just find the shoulders on the original pattern a bit boxy. So I shortened the shoulder seam to 4cm, and then curved the armhole edge gradually down to meet the original side seam. A braver seamstress would have made this alteration directly to the pattern pieces before cutting her fabric. But I altered mine during construction, labouring over the symmetry of the two armholes. It was stupidly time-consuming. And having now made this alteration on both attempts at this dress, I am officially going to edit my pattern pieces. (I'm such a maverick.)




I added a second button at the split of the overlay. I worried about it gaping open and thought a second fastening would make it neater. It doesn't need it. I mean, it doesn't ruin it, but I've looked at it with the second button undone, and it hangs nicely anyway. (My mum agrees. So that's that decided.)


I also did something wonderful. I added pockets to it. Explaining that is way too technical, so I will spare you here, and endeavour to write up a separate post for any nerds who want to hear about it ;)


What I didn't notice last time round (perhaps because I was distracted by the added difficulty of using a mischievous tulle for the overlay) is that this is a TOUGH pattern. It really does seem to take forever to make. Sure, I made changes. But there are so many fiddly details to it anyway... The pleated skirt, the bodice back, the invisible zip, the overlay.


And one thing you should definitely note if you are planning to make this dress too:
I am almost entirely confident that the instructions contain a mistake at Step 19. I had to Google it in the end, and found a sewing blogger, Sewmanju, who agreed with me in her review of the pattern.

Reassured, I ditched the instructions and went rogue. The key point is that it tells you to sew both armholes, and then turn the overlay the right way round. As far as I can tell, this is impossible. You have to sew one armhole and turn it the right way round before sewing the second.

I wish I'd known sooner though. I spent an entire afternoon, cooped up in the house ill, desperately trying to make sense of the instructions, tying my bodice in knots and blaming my failure on my fuzzy head. In fact, it did eventually reduce me to tears. (I was ILL, OKAY?)

Okay. It's written down now. I just wanted to have a record of the problem, so that when I come to try this pattern again a couple of years down the line, I can get past step 19 without crying. [I was lucky enough to avoid this step the first time round because I added my tulle overlay differently]


Did I put you off this dress pattern yet?!

Simplicity 8086 makes for a beautiful dress once complete. But it is not for the faint-hearted. It takes plenty of time, patience and some head scratching. I'd advise steering clear if you're new to dressmaking.

• I do recommend making it in a lightweight fabric. 
• The neckline alteration I made is a personal preference based on body shape. 
• Don't bother with my second button idea. 
• Hardly need mention that adding pockets was totally worth it.