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Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Dotted Chiffon Mori Dresses

I don't normally make Easter dresses for my daughters, but not too long before Easter the Mori Dress pattern was released and I kept seeing beautiful versions of it pop up. So I rummaged through my fabric collection to find something suitable, came across this fabric, and proceeded to make four dresses!

  The fabric was sold from Pick Your Plum as pink dotted chiffon, and based on the photos I'd expected a pale pink, but it's definitely more of a coral color... I wasn't too upset, coral is nice too, but it was a surprise!

  I'm not entirely sure this is chiffon either... it's much more stable than the chiffon I've worked with before and has a different texture to it, more like a georgette. It had the drape I wanted for this pattern, but I don't intend to buy fabric there again!

  Since it was slightly sheer, I lined the dresses with white batiste from fabric.com.

  Instead of lining the sleeve flounces, I hemmed them with a narrow rolled hem on my serger- I just love the drape of a single layer! I did the same for the hem, but I think I'd be happier if I'd stuck with the pattern there.

  I can't really comment on the sizing since I printed the pattern wrong and traced and cut the dresses before realizing it wasn't right... the sizing square was right, but the margins were trimmed!

  I lengthened the skirt for the three older girls, but ended up cutting off quite a bit of the length I'd added as they looked too much like nightgowns with it.

  I made the ties wider too:

  This pattern is designed to slip on over the head without any closures, which isn't my favorite because my daughters are crazy with their elbows and tend to pop the seams on things like this... I've needed to repair two side seams and a shoulder seam so far. 

  I might make the skirt fuller for any future dress versions of this pattern, but I would keep it the same for top versions.

   Those sleeve flounces are gorgeous though- I'm even thinking about adding them to other patterns!

  One thing to watch on the 6 month size is the neckline width... it's made to accommodate round little heads, but on Foof it was definitely oversized. I added a couple of awkward tucks at the shoulder seam to make it not fall off her shoulders.... I might take those back out when she's grown a bit but right now they are necessary.

  I loved the pattern with all of my changes (and Heidi, the designer, was super-nice and helpful when I thought the pattern was messed up because I'd printed it wrong!) and I'd like to make it as designed at some point. =) But I'd also like to change it up further and make some like Delia and Sarah made! 

Thanks for stopping by,

6 comments:

  1. Those dresses are so cute! The lack of closure bothers me too in general. It means having to make the whole thing a bit bigger (neckline bigger for the head and bodice bigger to get the shoulders through) and that can sometimes look a little sloppy. Though your girls don't look sloppy at all! They're adorable!

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    1. I prefer more closely-fitted garments too. I think the shape of the neckline on this pattern helps it too look more graceful than most pull-over woven garments. There's definitely a lot of room in the bodice though, and when the ties aren't tied it can look too loose and bit sloppy. Thank you! =)

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  2. These are adorable!!!! I love the color, but I agree--I wouldn't look at those and think 'chiffon.'

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    1. Thank you! The good thing is that the additional stability made it much simpler to cut and sew. =)

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  3. They are so cute in their matching dresses! I love the flounce sleeves, too. Great job!

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    1. Thank you! I love making matching things for them, but sometimes I worry that it will be too much... I think it worked this time! ;-)

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