A test run of the Marianne Dress

I have had this pattern in my stash for AGES...bought when Christine Haynes was having a sale. I snapped it up and it sat unused for about a year. I guess I was having my love affair with the Gaby Dress (sewn in a knit) so this got pushed to the back.

Initially I was going to sew the Maria Denmark Kimono Tee as a dress, but them remembered this pattern is similar in shape, just slightly more flared, and with a sleeve option. The fabric is a thin ponti-like fabric, bought for $7/m from a store in Cabramatta. I decided to add the sleeves this time around, even though for summer it'll be sans sleeves.

Overall this dress is not bad although it is going to get cut up and made into a Mabel Skirt.

The dress fits which is always my number 1 criteria for success. I did find the sleeve piece required a little bit of stretching to attach to the cap sleeve which I think has created some pulling/stretching on the sleeve piece making it not very comfortable. Next time I would add a bit to the sleeve piece so I don't have to stretch it to make it fit. I might also add 1" to the length...cover those knees up. The neckline is WAY to high for my liking and have already made an alteration to the pattern piece to drop it down I bit. I actually added 2" to the neckband and if I hadn't the neck would've been even smaller *chokes*.

I'm sure this dress looks OK in the photos (minus my standard fabirc-pooling-above-the-butt-thing) but in real life the colouring of the fabric does not suit me at all....I think it's all that beige up near my face. It will make a nice skirt though worn with a grey marle tee for summer.

-----

Pattern: Marianne Dress by Christine Haynes
Size: 18
Modifications: added 2" to the neckband
Fabric: thin ponti-like fabric from Cabramatta
Changes for next time: add 1" to the hem line; add about 1cm to the sleeve piece (at the highest point); lower neckline, add at least 2" to the neckband.