It wasn't the product photos ( which are slightly ..beige-ey and don't do the pattern justice) ,
Kielo Dress Pattern
but the the photos and reviews of the Kielo dresses posted by the keen sewists.
busylizzieinbrizzy.com
EIrenip
sewindependent.com
Their accounts highlighted the very simple structure of the dress ( no fixings and only 3 main pattern pieces) which cleverly produces a very elegant flexible dress whether in stretch or non-stretch fabric. The dress has bust and back darts for shaping like a shift dress would be but the wrap wings provide the "ease" for hips and derriere ( and boy,do I need that ease).
"Named" are a Finnish pattern company run by two sisters who design for a height of 5 ft 8 " so in general slightly taller than other pattern companies. There are no lengthening lines on the pattern (but YOUTUBE or google can provide plenty of resources on how to lengthen ( or shorten) a dress pattern).
The pattern is expensive for a PDF download (13 euros) but well worth it. The printed pages are a bit confusing at first as they provide the template for you to trace the pattern off ( rather than the actual pattern pieces themselves). It's a bit of a jigsaw puzzle as front upper and front lower are printed on the same page but a careful use of highlighter pens makes everything clear. I traced the pattern onto white paper using a tracing wheel ( like a small pizza cutter) which indents the line on the paper below. The pattern is so simple that experienced tracers could transpose straight onto fabric using a perforated tracing wheel ( if no adjustments needed).
TALL GIRL FITTING ADJUSTMENTS
My fabric only cost £3/m so I didn't bother making a muslin.
Adjustments: I lengthened the bodice by 2 inches and the skirt by 4 inches. I should have lengthened the bodice at two points but daftly just lengthened by 2 " above the armpit.This made the armhole too long and gapey and I had to retro-sew to a higher point on the armhole ( I believe in couture it's called a "cobble").
( To lengthen a long skirt I was later advised to lengthen at three points to gently moderate the taper).
One fitting adjustment I did , and regretted, was the widening of the skirt at the bottom. I had assumed , because of my long stride, I would need a wider lower skirt width and had widened the bottom taper by 4 inches front and back. This was a big mistake as it completely messed up the drape of the dress and turned it into a tent! Lesson Learnt...the taper of the Kielo skirt to a narrow hem is an important factor in the drape/wrap effect; tall girls can lengthen the back slit for a wider stride . The situation was recovered by taking in the side seams but it messed up my careful french seaming...
The fitting adjustment I omitted ( and regretted) was that I should have widened the bodice..it's a tiny bit narrow for my frame.
DESIGN CHANGES
I was using a thin viscose so I devised a bodice facing rather then simply hem the neckline ( back to the values drilled into us during my school needlework lessons circa mid 80's " thou shalt not roll hem thy necklines"!).
I wanted to make more of a design feature of the ties so made wide scarf-like ties. These work really well in weighing down the dress wings when worn loosely.
FINAL OUTCOME..
In spite of the cobbled retro fit adjustments hidden within I really love this dress.
Tie the ties to the back and I have a full-length shift dress with plenty of room for my pear-shaped hips and posterior when I sit down ( never been able to wear shift dresses without creating a saggy baggy bum or bursting seams before now!).
Tie the ties to the front loosely and it's got kinda "that Atonement Dress vibe wrapped about the hips.
Or tie as the pattern suggests and get a lovely snug wrap fitted maxi dress.
BOTTOM LINE
Fabric was a medium weight viscose which cost £3/metre from B& M Fabrics, Leeds Kirkgate Market. Total cost in fabric was £10.0.
Pattern was £10.50 (13 euros) BUT I will use it again so say £4 for the pattern, £2 for thread.
TOTAL COST £16 .
THE FUTURE
This dress isso cool during this hot summer and will be making an official appearnace at the races in a weeks time...big straw hat and glass of PImms to accessorise. I will be making it again but may lower the neckline next time .
