
Who doesn’t love a good pocket?
I love bird print fabrics – I’m obsessed with them. It’s surprising then that this is actually the first time I’ve ever made anything with one. Using some gorgeous, soft cotton I picked up at the Knitting and Stitching show in March I have at last completed McCall’s M4779 (version A).
I was very well behaved and made myself a muslin of the bodice last week, merging a few different sizes. The whole muslin business is pretty new to me but after reading some pretty scary reviews of the pattern and not wanted to wreck my fabric I thought it best to proceed with caution. Having worked out what I wanted to do, I set fourth this weekend.
I wrote an exceedingly long blog about it here, if you wish to read my witty commentary and see my pretty pictures. The short and the long of it is this: I love my dress (and I’m quite proud of how well constructed it is) but I’m not sure it’s one I’ll be rushing to replicate.

Despite the awkwardness, the collar turned out to be not too shabby.
Pros: It has pockets! And it’s very comfortable. And I love how the skirt hangs.
Cons: I found the sizing a bit funny – I know its a semi fitted dress but it just felt a bit big (despite my fittings and muslin I obviously didn’t nail this). The collar is so immensely awkward. Did I mention that the collar is awkward?
But hey ho – it’s all done (and before April was over!) and I’m pretty damned chuffed with it!
I love this fabric and your dress is fabulous!
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It looks lovely! I love the neckline. Well done for making a muslin, I find them a bit boring and tedious but well worth it in the end 🙂
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Thanks! I agree, I hate making the muslin, it seems like such a waste of my precious sewing time. But then as this dress showed me, probably its not actually wasting my time, just extending it.
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Very flattering! Good for you for making a muslin first!
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Thanks I’ll def make them from now on!
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Lovely dress, shame you had problems with the collar but it looks great!
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Thanks Beth, it wasn’t so much problems with the collar as a lot of confusion and being unsure that what I was doing would work. But it did in the end!
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I love this fabric a lot! It’s such an elegant bird print, exactly the sort I was looking for this month (and nearly the opposite of what I found… but that’s another story). I do like the shape of the collar too, and I think “not too shabby” is selling yourself short on it.
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Thank you! I’m in love with the fabric – it can be hit or miss sometimes, I might have a print in mind for months and never see it, or randomly find just the right thing! Haha ‘not to shabby’ is like saying ‘its not too bad’ which in my family is code for it’s pretty damn good!
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it looks great, very classic style.
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Thanks!
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Very sweet indeed!
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Thanks Sarah!
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I think this is a lovely dress! I love ALL things bird related, including fabric, but have yet to even choose anything for this challenge. I know what you mean about something turning out well but then not feeling inspired to make another straight away! You should definitely be proud of this dress, and I love the collar 🙂
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Thanks so much! I am actually really proud of it – I love the collar (just not the making of it!).
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Very pretty dress. I think the collar looks great actually. The dress style really works with that fabric print too!
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Thanks. You know the moment I saw the fabric i knew i wanted this dress. Do you ever get that? The style and fabric and everything just came together so well.
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Such a pretty dress! It’s a shame you’re not in love with the pattern though it looks great 🙂
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I think the pattern was a good learning curve for me – it took me out of my comfort zone. I’ll probably come back to it again one day as I do like the end result!
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