McCall's 7745...ish.

I might be smiling here, but don't let it fool you, THIS DRESS TRIED TO KILL ME.

This is McCalls 7745, which I've made before in leopard rayon jersey. Funny that when I made it in a fabric it wasn't meant for, it turned out great--I just sized down 2 sizes to account for the negative ease you need in stretch knits, and BOOM. DRESS.

This version, not so much. I used the proper size for wovens, and the neck came up as wide as the political divide in this here country. Gaped all over creation like I was aiming to be crowned Queen of the Tata Parade.

(I don't know which party would hold a Tata Parade, but it ain't the look I was going for.)

After skimming that July 2018 leopard print post, I realize I actually ALREADY SEWED THIS in a woven with the same tata trials. That tribulation was abandoned completely. Nice that I left myself a trail of breadcrumbs! Buuuuuut that only works if you REMEMBER THE CRUMBS.

With only the pros of that story in mind, I sewed this bodice up again, in the correct size for wovens. And I mean SEWED. IT. UP. Fully lined in fashion fabric, seams graded and understitched, cut sleeve treatment added, ready to rock!

Exhibitionist style. 

I was FUMING when I tried it on. With only 2.5 yards of this fabric, I couldn't afford to lose an inch of it, so I shoved it in a bag to wait for inspiration. Then Brittany popped up in my feed with an off-the-shoulder beauty, in the sunshine, and it was June in NY, and we were stuck behind bars, and I decided I WAS FINISHING IT OR IT WAS FINISHING ME

Smackdown: Sewist came by way of center back-- I took a whopping 3-inch dart out of center back, tapering from a giant chunk at the neck to nothing at the waist. Not easy, or pretty, to do once the bodice is fully lined, but luckily, my penchant for busy prints saved me. Pro tip: A busy print can hide all manner of wonkiness, y'all.

Once I took that ginormous chunk out, the open sleeve treatment needed some help. Gone were the fluttery, romantic wings I'd given myself. So I made a coupla spaghetti straps and tied them closed. With a bow. To save the romance. Though I was feeling VERY LITTLE LOVE at that point.

Having zero desire to use the rest of the pattern, I draped the skirt with what I had left! This is a border print, and I just needed to adjust my brain to let the floral border lie vertically to get the most out of what I had left.

Although it is a wrap dress, it isn't a true wrap style-- I added a few small pieces of twill tape for interior ties, and then attached the main tie belt down at the "wrap" edge of the outer bodice, at center front. I just tie it shut on the interior, and wrap the belt around myself on the exterior. Way better than buttonholes in rayon, especially when you're ready for a garment to be done-zo.

(I'd show you the interior tie situation, but without a dressform, I'm not sure how to do it without throwing my biddies back in the Tata Parade.)

She's swishy enough, and I'm glad she's DONE! But I might start writing my breadcrumbs right on the pattern envelope from now on...