Red Polka Dot Shirt Dress: McCall’s M7242
I bought nice red (pink-ish dark red) polka dot double gauze fabric while I was in Japan last year. I wasn't sure what I would make with it at the time, but when I found this pattern in my stash I knew it would work!
Pattern: McCall's M7242 (It's Laura Ashley collection!)
Fabric: I bought it in Japan
Pattern alterations and adjustments :
slashed and opened the skirt by 9cm each (front and back) to add more flare
shaved off the outer edge of shoulders by 0.5cm
shortened the bodice by 1.5cm (extra -1.5cm as a swayback adjustment)
shortened the sleeves by 6cm
lowered the height of the collar by 1.5cm
made the neck opening more shallow (so that the V shape is not too deep)
added more buttons
I like shirt dresses a lot, but some have collars that are too high for my short neck. So when I first saw this pattern, I was really happy that this dress has mandarin collar instead! It's loose fitting but not baggy, and has an elastic waist. I do like fit and flare dresses but some occasions like holiday feasts, I need a stretchy waist!
Love this pattern and I'm pretty happy with all the adjustments I made. I'm especially happy with how the skirt has more flare!
While I still like gathered skirts a lot, I think flared skirts are more elegant and I'm sure I'll make dresses with flared (maybe a half circle) skirt in the future!
The back has pleats which help the mobility around shoulders and arms. With some dress patterns with sleeves, I struggle with getting the fit right so that I can move my arms comfortably.
But with these pleats and the fact that it's a loose fitting bodice, getting that right was not a problem. I didn't have to alter arm holes or the width of bodice and it fits pretty well.
I really like this pattern and I'm sure I will make more! It's so nice to find a dress pattern with sleeves that fits and work perfectly with double gauze.
Double gauze fabric is really affordable in Japan and they have a ton of fun prints! :)
I like this type of sleeves—they’re kind of like bishop sleeves but not as exaggerated. They also have elastics on the cuffs, so super convenient when I want to pull up my sleeves when washing hands etc.
Jan 27, 2017
