Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Denim Knit KwikSew 3757




I made something! Yes, I finally finished a project in 2017.
 



It's a dress that I've been wanting to make for a long time, KwikSew 3757,  a casual dress that originally caught my eye with its cool pockets. I had just enough of a denim coloured knit in my stash to make this, in View A (I had no interest in a drawstring around my hip area).



So I cut it pretty much as the pattern shows -- I added a couple of inches to the bottom when I cut it out so that it wouldn't be too short, but there was no need. I ended up having to trim it by 3" before hemming, so I just added and removed the same amount of fabric, grr.


The pockets do end up at  the widest part of you, assuming you're average height - I think I'd raise the pocket by at least an inch next go round. They are great pockets though, and pretty close to the right placement.


I was planning on copying Patti from PR & adding in some flat piping to accentuate the seams, but decided that I didn't want the curve of the pocket highlighting my hip/thigh, so just ran it to the top of the pocket. It adds a bit of a vertical line and I think that helps with my figure and this dress. I just used the reverse side of the fabric for the silvery piping & made a neckband as well, instead of using facings.
Simple back view, all one piece

It was a fairly straightforward dress, other than adding in the piping & neckband, and went together quickly. I like the casual feel of it, and have worn it both alone with funky tights and with a matching cardigan (with deep enough armholes to accommodate the fairly large sleeve on the dress). It's a very comfortable, simple dress but I feel quite put together in it. So nice to get going with a quick project again! I feel like this dress would fall a bit more smoothly if the knit was a bit more fluid, though. I love this denim knit but it is very lightweight and yet somehow with body. The good part about that is that it isn't inclined to cling, too badly.

Anyhow, a fun, easy and comfortable dress that I could take pictures of, outside, in February! That's weird enough in itself, never mind the weirdness of finally FINISHING a project ;) Some of the old KwikSew's that I've made have turned out to be my favourite things, and this dress has a good chance of being added to that list.