While they do have some entry level patterns available, Vogue is known most for their complicated designs. One person may create a dress with 8 seams. But a Vogue designer will create the same dress with 42 seams and a foundation underneath. Don't get me wrong, those extra 34 seams and additional bodice will create a stunning look that the simple 8 seams just could not create. But sometimes.....sometimes, the additional work may be considered unnecessary unless you desire challenging and expanding your skillset. And this is where Vogue designers will not disappoint!

Okay, back to this dress. I've had my eye on this pattern for a while. I loved how the shoulders were split open. And the seams meant that fitting would be fairly easy to accomplish. Well, I didn't think about those pleats! I typically make a garment larger than what I think is needed in order to better fit the garment to my liking. It's always more feasible to remove excess fabric rather than add missing fabric.

Well, something happened, not sure what, but I added entirely too many additional inches! No, I was too ashamed to take a photo of my failure. Just know, that I had to take the ENTIRE dress apart because there was just too much excess. And the pleats! A box pleat at each seam! Why did I choose this as my method of torture? Imagine having to take apart a box pleat, that is part of the seam, and there are 11 box pleated seams. No, it's not an even number because there's a pleated seam at the center front, but not at the center back.

While I had the dress taken apart, I took the opportunity to move the top of the pleats slightly higher on my body. The designed location was not flattering for my body shape. They started low around my hips and I have enough going on around my hips. It just didn't work out. I did check a few photos of this pattern created by others, and the pleats did sit in the same area. It was just not best for me.

The pattern called for moderate stretch knits, and it appeared that the dress worn by the model was a medium weight. I wanted to recreate this look so I went with Minerva's Ponte Roma fabric in Raspberry. A nice addition of color to my wardrobe. The ponte fabric is a heavier stretch knit. It is not difficult to work with but you will need to be familiar with working with knits. Make sure you are familiar with your machine's stretch stitches.

It's soft and has a nice bold color on both sides. It created a very colorful and comfortable garment. You may be used to the lighter weight knits, but some things require a heavier weight to create a different look. It hangs differently. The wind carries it differently. It's different in a good way. Trust me! I have plans on ordering more to make some comfortable yoga pants. Maybe in a different color though!

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