Cool and Cosy – Victory Patterns Hazel Dress

Yay, I’m excited to be participating in The Monthly Stitch’s Indie Pattern Month 2015! I’ve been sewing like a crazy woman lately and I think it will be a busy month trying to get something sewed for each week, but I’m up for the challenge!

My dress comes to you courtesy of Victory Patterns and their splendid Hazel Dress. I love this pattern. It is an interesting design, super comfortable and highly versatile.

It was my first time sewing a Victory Pattern and everything about it was straightforward. I was inspired by Abbey’s chambray version with the subtle colour palette and I am currently loving navy so a navy dress it was!

On my first ever and long-awaited trip to Auckland’s The Fabric Store (I’m in love….), I picked up some high quality navy ponte and a gorgeous fleece-backed demin-look Marc Jacobs fabric.

I bought the PDF pattern and cut a size 6 based on my measurements. I lengthened the bodice by 5cm which is my standard modification. Other than that I did everything else straight out of the envelope and sewed up as per the instructions. All the seams were sewed with a lightning stitch and finished on the overlocker. Given the heavy weight of the ponte I didn’t interface any of the pattern pieces. To get a nice finish on the hem I did my typical turned and stitched hem.

If I’m being picky, the only thing I was a bit “meh” about was the little slit they have you do in the top centre of the bodice, right underneath where the bow knot sits. To me it just seems a little redundant and doesn’t add anything to the dress. In fact, it makes it more difficult to get the facing to lie flat. So whilst I didn’t love that feature and probably won’t do it again on forthcoming Hazel dresses I was glad I tried it out.

The dress met all the expectations I had for it. I’ve worn it to work a couple of times already and last weekend it was the perfect dress for an evening out at the town hall watching our friend play in the Auckland Youth Orchestra. I think for future versions I will add some darts to the back as I think it is slightly too baggy back there and forms an odd shaped silhouette. If I make that adjustment it may need a zip as well but I think that will be a case of wait and see. I do really love this dress and I’m so glad I made it. Thank you Victory Patterns!

More details can be found on my blog, Obsidian Handmade.