Geometric Shift [New Look 6145].

Welcome to the first post of 2019. I hope everyone had a great New Year’s.

My sewing goals for this year are: (1) to use as much of my stash fabric as possible, and only buy new fabric when it is for a specific project only; and (2) finish as many of my incomplete projects as possible.

One of my unfinished projects is New Look 6145 with which I had planned for a long time to make in this geometric printed cotton sateen, bought about 3-4 years ago. I finally started making it in February last year. I was about 4 months pregnant at the time and thought the intended ease and shape of the shift dress would be suitable. However, I quickly found out that it wasn’t the case, probably due to the heavier weight of the fabric chosen, and less ease in the pattern than I had expected. In the end, I abandoned this project and made McCall’s 7505, also a shift dress but with heaps more ease, in March.

 

New Look 6145 pattern with my chosen fabric.

 

Anyway, so it’s time to dig this project out from the vaults of the cupboard!

• Pattern: New Look 6145, I made View C, rated “EASY”.
• Size made: A: Sizes 8-18 included, I made size 8.
• Pattern pieces: 6 pieces for View C.
• Fabric used: Geometric printed cotton sateen [97% cotton, 3% spandex], 127cm width, 2m length, made in China, bought from Spotlight.
• New Techniques used: First time making a funnel roll-neck collar.
• Modifications: Eliminated the back vent; Shortened dress by 6cm and sleeves by 2cm.

 

I made View C which has the funnel roll-down collar and 3/4 sleeves. Pic from here.

 

Six pattern pieces for View C. In the centre pattern piece, you can see the little piece sticking out of the dress hem for the back vent. Since I had to shorten the dress after it had been made up (instead of making a muslin to check beforehand), I had to eliminate the back vent and cut off that little piece.

 

The interfaced neck facing was stitched to the neck edge of the bodice, sandwiching the collar in between.

 

There is plenty of ease in this pattern (for a non-expectant body). The measurements for size 8 body is 31.5/24/33″ and the garment measurements are 36.5/33.5/38.5″.

 

I officially dislike setting in sleeves even more than inserting zippers! But it had to be done. I also shortened the sleeves by 2cm.

 

There are vertical back darts and front diagonal underbust darts.

 

Close up of the front dart. It causes a disruption to the print but it’s not so obvious in this fabric.

 

The design is not very fitted, which is perfect for my post-baby (and post-holiday eating) body.

 

According to the instructions, the zip is sewn OVER the neck facing. From previous garments I’ve made, the facing is usually lifted out of the way, then sew the zip, and the facing is then hand sewn back down to cover the top part of the zip. The pattern instructions here, however, said to baste facing to the dress then sew the zip over. So if you want the facing to cover the top part of the zip, don’t baste.

 

I like the back of the collar. I should have ‘rolled’ the collar side seams to the inside. But it just turned out this way. I’ll be mindful next time, especially if I’m sewing a shirt collar where this is the front.

 

I wore this out and had dinner as well – it is very comfortable to wear and has room for me to move about in it.

 

 

My next project is probably going to be from my unfinished pile as well. And then possibly a new project after that. For now, I’m going to enjoy the rest of January – I hope you do too. Until next time!