You guys, the
Davie Dress by Sewaholic Patterns is serious business. It is one of the most flattering, comfortable, and versatile garments I have made to date, and I'm kicking myself for not sewing it up sooner! I love the way it fits tightly at the waist and flares out along the hips. The pattern features two top variations and two lengths, this one is view B. I'm also modelling one of my first me-made bags in some of these shots, my striped backpack which I adore even though it is now falling apart after years of use.
I ordered this pattern as soon as it was released last spring, and I made a muslin right away but if fit so poorly that I got discouraged. I'm glad I revisited the dress this fall because the fitting issues I had were easy to adjust. I had made my normal size (14) for the muslin, which has served me well with Sewaholic patterns, but the dress was all around way to big for me. I ended up making a 12 this time, and I still needed to take the side seams in 1.5" on either side to get it to fit the way I wanted. I'm sure this is mainly due to my choice of fabric, which has a lot of stretch. The fabric is similar to a bullet knit, it is a spongy, textured polyester blend that is very soft and easy to sew. It doesn't wrinkle or fray, which makes it pretty much the best thing ever for everyday use and traveling. Tasia made a longer version of the dress out of the same type of fabric over on the
Sewaholic blog.
The Davie Dress features top stitching on both sides of all the seams. It is a lovely detail of this design that is well worth the extra stitching effort. On my version, I could have opted out of the topstitching because it is so stretchy and the print makes it very hard to notice, but I decided to do it anyways. I really like the way it makes the seams lie perfectly flat against the dress. I didn't finish the neckline as instructed using bias binding, but instead just turned it under and sewed it down. I was worried the binding would be too stiff with the stretch fabric, and I didn't want to make my own #lazy. I did use bias binding on the hem, because I wanted the dress to flare out at the bottom and have a bit of stiffness to it in that area. I love the way it worked out, and the little pop of yellow underneath.
Now....that keyhole neckline....I am still on the fence about it. What do you guys think? Should I sew it closed? I feel like the dress already makes me look quite busty and because I tightened up the sides to get the fit I wanted, I think it is gaping open a bit too much. It will be easy to hand stitch closed so I thought I'd at least try it out for the blog and see what you all think :)
I would definitely recommend this pattern, it is so flattering and comfortable to wear. I think it can be casual or fancy, and it is a breeze to sew - no zips, buttons, facings, or anything fussy!
Final Stats
Total project time: Approximately 6 hours, not including muslin fitting
Fabric: Bullet knit from
Dresssew Supply
Pattern:
Davie Dress by Sewaholic Patterns
Adjustments: Made a size smaller than usual and took in dress at side seams 1.5" on each side. Did not use bias binding for neckline or armholes.
