Wool Megan Dress

The Megan Dress from Tilly Walnes’ book, Love at First Stitch, was the reason I bought this book. (But my Mimi Blouse was my first make.) Its simple, classic lines made it a winner and I was keen to get started. My love for the pattern multiplied when I found this beautiful wool fabric at the Knitting and Stitching Show in March, and I knew the resulting dress would be a staple in my wardrobe.

The fabric was from M Rosenberg & Son and buying it was such a delight. They had a great selection of wools and suiting and I also picked up a meter of lovely a cashmere/wool blend. More on that later.

The warp threads are black and the weft is brown and turquoise blue. The overall effect is brown, but navy is a great accent for this, as is black. I ended up using black thread and a black zip. I also bought the polyester lining fabric from M Rosenberg, I love its Art-Deco/Victorian motif. It reminds me of Victorian china and crockery decorations, as well as ceiling roses.

I started the sewing with the lining but it was slippery as anything. The motifs helped me line it up straight, otherwise I would not have had a hope of getting it right. Thank goodness it was a lining. I sewed it with a walking foot, but it still puckered like crazy.

The main fabric has no right or wrong side, but it does have a slight nap. By adding a lining and omitting the facings, I only had five pattern pieces and my fabric was wide enough that I cut the dress from 1.25 meters.  I think I have enough left from my 2m to get a blazer, or at least a skirt.

Now for the pattern… Based on my sizing from the Mimi Blouse, I traced a Size 3.

I changed the skirt sizing by tapering to a size 2 to make the bottom more pegged. I thought the skirt shape on the photos was neither here nor there: not quite A line, but not pencil either. This is probably a deliberate decision to get a straight-ish shape with simpler sewing for beginners, it is easier to explain when there is no vent to cut or sew. I forgot about  adding one, but my skirt allows just enough movement. 

During tracing, I shortened the waist by moving the hip curve up. It is nice to have a chance to do this during the tracing of the pattern, instead of folding afterwards. I even remembered to lower the hem by a corresponding 1.5 inches. Finally, I added a small sway back adjustment by shaving 0.5cm from the centre back of the waist seam at both the bodice and skirt, for a total of 1cm.

I changed the construction order to set the sleeves in flat, then sewed up the whole underarm and side bodice in one seam. I find setting in the sleeve much easier on a flat armscye. Why would you manoeuver the sleeve into a small, circular opening if you don't have to? I'm asking seriously here - I would really like to know if I could be doing it better. Remembering the snug fit of the sleeves from the Mimi Blouse, I increased the underarm seams by 0.5cm, at the cuff, not the top. This is a more comfortable sleeve, especially given the fullness at the top. They are gathered, not eased into place. I was quite surprised by the amount of gathering in these sleeves and I had to press the seams towards the sleeves to avoid a very Edwardian shoulder line. I don’t mind the look, but it is something to bear in mind with this pattern.

I constructed the lining and the dress separately, leaving the centre back seam open, then joined the two at the neckline by machine, and understitched (my favourite secret weapon!) I then inserted the zip on the outer fabric only. Proper fitting can only take place once the zip is in. No amount of holding the dress together gives a true picture of what is really going on. Unfortunately for me, there were all kinds of fit issues going on. The sizing has come out very small. I don't know if I messed up by raising the waistline, but it was so high that I had to add a waistband. I didn't shorten the bodice at all but the seamline was right under my bust. Luckily, I had lots of fabric to spare and I really like the look of the waistband. I cut it from one single width of fabric. This blown-out picture shows the seam lines in the front.

There was absolutely no ease at all in the dress. To make it fit, I felt like I unpicked every single seam and dart and redid them with smaller seam allowances. Here is a list:

Side seams: 1cm seam allowance each sice = 2cm gained @ waist

Centre back seam: 1cm allowances through the waist, 0.5cm when I could manage it = 1.5cm gained @ waist

Back darts (bodice and skirt): reduce dart legs by 0.5cm = 2cm gained @ waist

Under bust dart tucks: unpicked legs, left tucks in place as pleats = +3cm gained @ bust

Front armscye seam: wanted to reduce the seam allowance to 1cm but I had already clipped the seam allowance.

Zip: angle sharply in at neckline to make dart.

Lining: removed all darts/pleats for maximum ease.

I could still do with taking a snick out of the shoulder seams at the neckline. It is a bit too baggy. When the dress was tight, this was very pronounced, but I am leaving all my understiching in place for now because the extra ease I added means the neckline has settled down somewhat. It is not perfect, but close enough. I also stitched the seam allowances of the lining and the bodice together at the front of the waist because the lining was still curling out of the neckline.

I know that in choosing not to make a toile I am choosing to make any alterations in the final fabric, but it was frustrating to have to make so many changes. It meant that I took a lot longer to finish than I should have. I put it aside for weeks at a time, and only came back to it in short bursts now and then. Unpicking dark thread from dark fabric on dark evenings probably had a lot to do with it too.

Finishing:

I was pleased that I decided to stablise the zip with stabilising tape, purchased for my grey dress. It meant fewer puckers, but there are still some at the bottom. The zip went in beautifully. Both times.

I hemmed the lining, at the sleeves and hem, by machine, then hemmed the sleeves by hand and catch stitched the sleeves to the main fabric sleeve. 

I used hemming lace to hem the bottom of dress, attached by machine, then hand stitched into place. 

I love this dress because I love the fabric. It is totally my signature style and I love that I have sewn stuff that I will wear to work. But the tight bodice is a problem. As to whether this pattern is a keeper, even in a size 4: the jury is still out.

Accounts:

Main fabric: £15

Lining fabric: £5

Pattern: £3.50

Zip: £0.50

Stabilising tape: £0.75

Hem lace: £0.57

Thread: stash
Total: £25.33