Since interviewing Jenny on the Love to Sew Podcast I knew I needed to give Cashmerette Patterns a try, and what better place to start than with her first pattern, the Appleton Wrap Dress! I have loved every version of this dress I have seen and I was pretty confident that it would suit my figure quite well. The fitted silhouette is a little out of my comfort zone, but I feel like 1 million bucks in it.
The Appleton dress has cup sizing (as do all Cashmerette patterns), so you can get a great fit around the bust without doing alterations. Wrap dresses can be difficult to fit on larger bust sizes, but this pattern totally nails it. Look how close to the body the wrap sits! I feel SO secure in this dress, there is no fear of any wardrobe malfunctions.
I decided to eliminate the sleeves on my Appleton because my preference is for sleeveless dresses. I did take the armscye up a bit but if I made it again I would alter it further to get a better fit. You can see there is a bit of gaping at the armholes. I finished the armholes using knit bias binding.
I used a knit from Fabricland for this dress that worked out pretty well for this pattern. It is a little on the thin side, so lumps do show through, but overall, I love the color and print. It is a pretty eye-catching dress! Not for all occasions, but it makes a great entrance.
I am very pleased with how this dress turned out and I can’t wait to sew more with Cashmerette! Jenny has so many great designs and I love the fit so far. If you are in the plus-sized range, definitely give them a go!
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28 Comments on “Sleeveless Appleton Wrap Dress”
Your dress is VERY sexy Helen! Love it 🙂 I am a huge fan of Cashmerette – I think I have almost all her patterns. That bust fit is unmatched in the sewing pattern world and I can get a great fit every time with very little fiddling.
Isn’t the bust fit amazing!!? It really does make the sewing process much easier!
Beautiful!! That neckline is fantastic. I have a few more wrap patterns to try and hope they fit like this, but this pattern is definitely on my radar. The fabric is lovely too, and it looks like it could be dressed up or down, and a slip underneath may help with the thin fabric feeling. Looks great!
Thanks Kelly! A slip underneath is a great idea! I do love the fit of this and I want to make one that is a bit more neutral so I can get a ton of wear out of it!
Looks fantastic, love the fabric.
Thank you! <3
Great dress! The Appleton is one of the few Cashmerette patterns I haven’t made. You just convinced me to put it on my list!
Yay!! It’s a great pattern, I would definitely recommend it!
That dress looks amazing on you!!!
Thanks so much, Lisa!
beautiful dress, you look like a million bucks in it.
Thank you!!!
Va Va Voom! You look a million bucks! It really is a fabulous dress on you Helen xx
Awwww, thanks so much!!
That dress looks AMAZING on you! Yay! I love Cashmerette Patterns. I have made a ton of Springfield tops. They might be a bit on the boring side, but I wear them all the time. Happy sewing!
I can totally see that! A simple top like the Springfield is a must have in any wardrobe 🙂
Your dress is stunning. You did a wonderful job and your fabric choice is wonderful. Absolutely gorgeous.
Thank you so much! <3
Wow! Great fit and fabrication. You look so confident and ready for date night.
You’ve totally sold me on trying the Appleton! I’m planning to change the shirt to a circle skirt cause that’s my preferred silhouette.
Just one million? This dress is so super vavavoomy that you look like ten million bucks!
You should feel like a million bucks Helen, you look incredible!
Wow, it’s as if this dress was designed just for you! Fabulous and great colour on you. I’m another person who has been meaning to try a Cashmerette pattern for a while and now I think I might!
Helen, it’s a beautiful dress! Great choice to make it sleeveless.
After I lost quite a bit of weight, I’m no longer the size range for Cashmerette patterns and I wonder if their patterns size down well. Did you have to grade the dress down to fit you?
I know you posted that 5 years ago, but they make Appleton in their 0-16 range now too!
Absolutely sensational Helen! I have made it once, I need to dig it out now and look at that dress again, and work out why I haven’t worn it more – I love the idea of it sleeveless.
The bust fit is fantastic. Love it.
Gorgeous! I need a sleeveless wrap dress, and was wondering if anyone had had any luck with Appleton without sleeves. Yours looks *fabulous*, and your notes on the armscye answered a lot of my questions.