Sewing Win for 2019 - Vogue 2246 Paris Original by Jean Patou

I really only had one sewing win for 2019. This dress is made from a Jean Patou Vogue Paris Original pattern 2246. I got it on eBay after regular checks (on Etsy, there are two listed: one for $60 and another for $95---too rich for my blood). I love this design, and it took a long time to sew because the directions use couture sewing techniques.

This is my wearable muslin and there are so many things I would change for the next version.

The fabric I chose for this muslin is actually a blouse-weight navy chambray. I underlined it with a cotton voile I had in my stash, which gave it a nice body. Fabrics recommended from the pattern include "crisp fabrics such as Linen, Pique, Satin, Brocade, Silk and Worsted, Medium Weight Wool and Broadcloth." 

Obviously, these Vogue Paris Original patterns are designed for models. Or so I believe, because I had to shorten the bodice and the hem considerably (which caused one of the problems I will fix in my next iteration). Plus, Vogue traditionally designs for the fashion forward with broad shoulders. I am five feet tall, I have narrow shoulders, and if I do not wear a padded bra, I need to make a small bust adjustment (SBA). 

As I said, this dress took a long time. I spent evenings hand-sewing the underlining to the fashion fabric and once seams were sewn, I spent time attaching them to the underlining. Well, to a point. I didn't finish the seam edges on the major sections because I was just tired of this dress. 

Also, because this dress is designed for someone at least half a foot taller than me, it's important to make some design changes more in line with my height: the contour belt (3 inches wide) doesn't work; it's important to make changes in the front band (if I'm shortening the hem, I need to shorten the band proportionally and not take it out from the hem; for balance, the band doesn't need to be as broad for me as it is actually designed; the breast pocket could also be shortened just a smidge for balance on my smaller figure; and making the bodice smaller on a design that uses Dior darts as well as narrowing the shoulder yoke just about made me lose my mind!

There are things I absolutely adore about this pattern. The collar is magnificent. For one thing, it is cut on the bias. For another thing, it uses tailoring techniques to keep the collar and facings from shifting. It lays so beautifully on the dress. I think I might consider what a bias collar might look like for some of my ordinary patterns.  

The band is closed with tons of tiny 3/0 snaps. I got these at WalMart. That was a lot of hand-sewing in front of the television....

The belt is not the usual "strip of fabric" belt. Instead, this is contoured and further shaped by parallel rows of stitching on the reverse facing of the belt. As fabulous as the belt and buckle are on the front of the pattern, I could not find any online resources for a belt buckle as large as 3 1/2 inches that also was suitable for this fabric and design. Blue is a very hard color to match online. Three inches is HUGE! Even in my vintage covered buckle kit stash, the largest belt buckle I have is 2 inches. 

Changes:
Since I was making a wearable muslin, I was stuck with the yardage I had and that was really not enough to cut out the belt AND its facing. So I thought I would just use a contrasting facing for the belt. But, a full-on 3-inch belt was just way too large for me. Instead, I ended up folding over the edges of the belt fabric and sewing on snaps to hold it in place. If I ever find a belt buckle that is large enough, I can always work it into the design. As it is, the belt measures 2 1/2 inches wide.

I had to shorten the bodice and the skirt considerably (at least 4 inches for the skirt and an inch or so for the bodice). I narrowed the shoulders, but they are still much longer than the pattern photo. That is something I'll fix in the next iteration.

The pattern called for ball buttons, and I ordered two different sets from Mood. Unfortunately, the white buttons did not set off the fabric and design as I had hoped, so I pulled these rectangular gray metal buttons from Joanns out of my stash, and I think they look appropriate for the fabric and design (they echo the lines of the band, the belt, and even the horizontal line of the shoulders. I used Gutermann silk thread from Mood to achieve the topstitching on the pockets. 

I'll be honest. When I finished this dress, I was so disappointed. It did not look like it looked in my head and it didn't look all that awesome on me. However, I've worn it since calling it done, and it's growing on me. I still don't like where the band ends for me on the skirt because it creates a little indent due to the bulk of fabric there. Unfortunately, that's in the vicinity of my crotch, so it requires the occasional tug and smoothing. It's a little shorter than I would normally wear, but that's because I was squeezing it out of all the fabric I had. The rounded shoulder edges extend too far so I'll do a better job of narrowing that pattern piece in the next iteration. There are no markings for the top of the shoulder on the pattern piece so it was just a best guess for this first time. 

So, does it look like the pattern? Yes, with the exception of the belt buckle. If this would have been available in a size 8 (the pattern is a size 10), I think I would have had an easier time of it.