Vogue 1250 Again

I am in the throes of a severe case of Sewing ADD.  There are so many new patterns that I want to sew...with so much fabric inspiration...which I've so thoughtfully provided...that I am finding myself flitting from thing to thing.  Whatever presses hardest against my creative urges, gets worked on first...so I find myself in the position of remaking V1250 while I still have two other projects in various stages of completion.

The first I started a few weeks ago...Butterick 5598.  I've finished all of the pattern alterations and taken the dress apart now that I've figured out how the dress will fit.  So it sits...waiting for me to be inspired to take it up again:

The second garment is Butterick 5600.  This one is closer to being finished.  I have a shell done and the sleeves and tabs have been constructed.  They are just waiting to be added to the dress.

So even though I have these two very detailed and involved projects waiting for me...yesterday afternoon I got the urge to remake Vogue 1250.  Why?  Because I really wanted this dress with side seams instead of that whole wrap around piece that the original pattern has going on.  Also, the original dress has a very snug fit. 

So what do I like most about the dress?  It's the cowl neckline and the sleeves.  What don't I like about the dress?  The very snug fit of the original.  It's why I don't make or wear alot of knit dresses.  Skimming my figure is okay...tightness or really fitted is not me.  I didn't even like this fit when I was thinner...it's just not me.

Here is my version now...

I used my TNT dress pattern pieces and cut a new front piece by creating my pattern sandwich.  I traced a new version of the DK front piece giving me more space in the abdomen area as well as adding some flare to the hemline.  Both of these changes give me a better fit without altering the silhouette of the dress front.

For the back, I altered my TNT dress pattern so that it would have the curve of the original pattern but not the back seamline.  Both of these pieces were cut on the fold where the original had the top on the fold and the bottom with a center back seam. 

I know sewists are really into swayback adjustments, but I feel a straight line from neckline to hemline is more slimming on my bodacious booty than adding the swayback and emphazising just how much is back there.

I'm much happier with this version.  I will wear both versions but this is the favorite. 

Another shot with the same black cardigan that I used with the original version.  The fabric from this dress is from Vogue Fabrics.  It is a fused knit.  Of course, since it is a simple sew the only notion is a yard of stay tape that was added to the shoulder seams to stabilize them.  Because I omitted the large side darts, I constructed the side seams as I would my regular TNT dress.

I'm heading back into the sewing room to finish up Butterick 5600 now...but there is something else gnawing around the edges of my brain so I know what's up next and sadly it's not Butterick 5598.

...more later!