The Antrim Dress by Itch-to-Stitch had been on my list of garments to make since it's release. I love crossover bodices and the full skirt really looked awesome and I thought would look really nice on me. I purchased inexpensive ITY fabric from Minerva.com some time ago and decided this past weekend was the time!
The details:
I really love the fabric and the colours in that fabric. This ITY is comfortable, stretchy and it's weighty enough that I'm not afraid of my skirt blowing up in the wind. But it was a bit of a nightmare to sew with - my machine kept wanting to eat it up and it curled a lot at the edges. Making sure my raw edges were aligned and then using lots of pins was a must. Also, this fabric is synthetic and doesn't like heat so it wasn't the best at holding a press.
Oh and it doesn't breathe - like at all - so I won't be wearing this on a really hot day but it's nice to wear in my air conditioned home while I'm working and it'll be perfect this Fall with a cute cardigan and tights.
The pattern has clear, step-by-step instructions but I did have a few moments when I was scratching my head. I'm not yet very experienced and this pattern is for intermediate sewists so I'm not really surprised but I managed to figure it out and in the end, I have a dress I like. It is perfect? Gosh no! But it is wearable.
I've had success with the Itch-to-Stitch patterns I have used so far. There are always some fun details included that elevate many of her designs just a bit beyond basics. For example, the Antrim Dress has the option of a ruched waistband instead of a plain one. Also, I have read horror stories about crossover bodices like these stretching out or not staying closed. This one feels very secure and I wore it an entire day and not once did I feel like I needed to "adjust" anything.
If I make this again, I might make the waistband at bit narrower. I like where it ends but I find it starts a bit too high. I don't really have a waist and having a tall waistband like this one doesn't look the best on me. I might also shorten the sleeves a bit or make them longer. And I would do a small narrow shoulder adjustment as the shoulder seams sits a bit too far.
Overall, I'm very pleased with my new dress. When I put it on the first time, my hubby said it looked beautiful on me. He rarely says anything about the garments I make so I'll take that as a win!
- Pattern: Antrim Dress by Itch-to-Stitch
- Size: 18 (with a D cup)
- Fabrics: ITY from Minerva.com
It looks great. Well done. That fabric is awesome, and you look great in it.
ReplyDeleteThis style looks great on you. Very nice. I like the sleeve length. I'm not familiar with ITY fabric. I haven't sewn garments in a long time. I just quilt now.
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