hey gang – i’m back again with another make!

As a resident of the beautiful Houston, TX – the weather is constantly changing. In one weekend it can be 40 degrees + pouring rain, and 75 degrees and sunny, making planning winter outfits a little complicated. Enter – the flannel dress!

I bought the Vogue 9075 pattern with the intent to make the fun jumpsuit/culotte view. Link to the pattern is here! However, after looking at my fabric stash, I was a little wary of cutting into some of my more expensive fabrics without knowing how well this pattern would fit and what adjustments I would have to make. I had some clearance flannel shirting from Joann Fabrics (link here!) that I had bought because it was literally  like $3/yard from a few weeks ago that seemed like the perfect weight/drape for a cold weather transition dress The goal was to make a dress that could easily be paired with tights and a scarf if it was chilly outside or just on its own with cute boots and a light jacket if the weather was a little kinder that day.

Pattern review:

Difficulty: Confident beginner – skills include princess seams, inserting an invisible zipper, waist gathers, easing in sleeves, adding pockets, and a fully lined bodice.

Changes: I decided that this fabric was thick enough to forgo the lining, so I decided to use binding tape to bind the neckline. I also cut off about 1 inch from the neckline all around because when I briefly tried on the bodice it was wayyy high up on my neck to be comfortable. I also shortened the bodice by about 1/2 inch, but I think I could go up to about 1 inch or more to better fit my waistline.

What I learned about myself from this dress is that I haaaate gathers. Wow they are such a pain! I like the effect that they create but I really struggle with making them even. Fortunately, the culottes version of this pattern uses pleats, so maybe that will be a little less frustrating for me.

Additionally, this pattern doesn’t include much detail about finishing seams! I chose to overlock many of my seams due to my excitement about my serger, but in the future I would try to finish the raw ends with french seams if possible.

Final thoughts: The instructions in this pattern are beyond great and the construction details are perfect for a beginner! The garment comes together relatively quickly in about one afternoon if you’re determined. I will probably make this dress again as its a classic silhouette and I would like to try the version with culottes! I would also likely  lower the back neckline as well, and maybe even size down. Anywho, it’s only January so who know what the rest of my makes this year will be 😀

Thanks for tuning in!!

Danica 🙂