KnipMode Magazine Dress #12 12/2018

I love to see patterns with special style lines, so those are always getting high on my "to sew"wishlist. That was also the case with this KnipMode Magazine dress from December issue 2018.

Lovely princess seams, front and back yokes and there is even an option for a small flounce  for the sleeves and a cuff.

I think this is a really cool pattern. They have it in the magazine in a few variations, like a top, as a dress with a bit fitted skirt, the one I used, or with a bit more flared skirt. The difference is in the side panel of the skirt, there are two extensions to make the side panel wider at the hem. Here you can see the tech drawing.

Picture from www.knipmode.nl

Picture from www.knipmode.nl 

A perfect pattern for color blocking, also in the magazine versions they used a sort of trim that it gets sewn in the seam. I think their dresses are much more fun than my grey one :)) but I know this is something I will get a lot of wear from.

I made a muslin for size 36 /38. It was way too fitted so I decided to make size 38 an keep 36 only for the shoulder length. For next time I need to remember that I should measure myself before I start on a new pattern. I did not do that for a while and it looks like I gained some cms around my waist and hips. Based on the test garment I also shortened the back length ( or swayback adjustment) and also took a bit off ( a total of 2cm) at the CB neck. I did not use a zipper as the fabric is stretchy enough. If I would use a zipper in a fabric like this   I would definitely interface the zipper area (actually I will do it in any fabric). 

For my test garment, I did not follow the instructions so I made a bit off a mess of the side point, where all the panels are coming together but it is actually so easy, following the instructions made it very easy, so well done KnipMode on that. This is the idea of it...as highlighted in this picture 

I also topstitched all my seams. I sewed the whole thing on the serger, topstitched with the sewing machine and made the hems on my cover stitch, which behaved very well on this fabric:). The fabric is a very thick knit fabric it does stretch a lot but I think a bit more stretch it would have been even better. For the next time, I need to give just a bit more extra room at the bust as you can see it is a bit tight and gaping there at the armhole, although is still feeling comfortable. ( I think here are again the few extra cms I gained and did not account for :)))

Adding clear elastic in the back shoulders.

To give a little support on my shoulders seam I added some clear elastic. I have the 6mm which is fitting perfectly in that hole of the standard presser foot from the serger. Without stretching I just let it feed as the serger is sewing the fabric. An alternative could be seam tape or woven selvage. 

Dress back

I kept the center back seam as I think it brakes a bit the back panel and it does have shaping in it.

Also, I used another method then instructed to finish the neckline. The instructions are telling you tu turn the SA to the inside and topstitch but I don`t really like that method so I cut a strip of my fabric a bit shorter than the neckline to ease that a bit into my strip and be sure it will lay flat. Sewed right sides together, trimmed the SA and turned to the inside and topstitched, I think it looks great!

The pattern is also as a PDF in their webshop and you actually get both dress options( and the top of course). Here is a link  ( no affiliate). Do remember that there is no seam allowance included!

....and that was all! Till next time, happy sewing! 

Knipmode magazine dress 7/2015 plus invisible zipper video tutorial

The pattern for this dress from KnipMode magazine , no affiliate,( issue 7/2015) was one of those patterns that sometimes I see and just can`t forget! I remember I was looking in the magazine two years ago and this was the only pattern I liked from that issue and I didn`t buy the magazine for just one pattern. Later I regretted but I saw my chance when KnipMode started to offer their patterns also online, as PDF patterns.
The website is only in dutch but it is pretty easy to navigate. The only downside of their PDF is that they don`t have the layering function so I had to print all the sizes. It is still much easier than tracing the pattern from , these days, very busy patterns sheets.
The same, as in the magazine, the pattern has no seam allowance (SA) included and also the hem allowance needs to be added.  For the SA I use my SA rulers, very handy when working with patterns without seam allowance.

I know that the magazine picture doesn`t show anything of the pattern, I also don`t like that belt used with this dress but once you see the technical drawing you will see why I was excited about this dress.

The dress has side panels and the princess seam that is running over the bust goes all the way to the back. Also, I love the V neck on the back.

#Pattern adjustments:

KnipMode drafts their patterns for cup B and height 172cm. I am only 169cm and I always need to make length adjustments. I made a test garment first, I almost always do a test garment, that makes the final sewing much more enjoyable :) .

•  I took 3 cm horizontally from the back and front panel( I measured 7cm from the CF down and there I took the 3cm out, and on the back at the same level as in the front, aprox.) , I had some extra fabric above the bust and on the back upper side and also the bust point of that side panel was too low, and all that extra room that was meant for the bust was too low on me. By taking the 3 cm out resolved all these problems.
• After that, I had to lower the armhole by 1 cm as it was now too tight. 
• I raised the V neck on the back by 1.5cm (5/8') to be sure that my bra band will not show.
• Next change was to make a swayback adjustment, that is a typical adjustment for me, I took 2 cm out at the CB seam blending to nothing at the side seam.
• The neckline was also a bit too high on me, so I lowered it by 1cm 
• Als I did not add any hem allowance so I can say that the dress is 3cm shorter 

In the picture above, you can see that side panel better. I really love the fit now, on the test garment, the first time I put it on, I was a bit disappointed and was thinking that it is not so nice as I expected, but actually, the bad fit was the cause. ( also being made with an old bed sheet did not help :)).

The dress is made with a polyester crepe with some stretch in it, I had to steam a few edges a few times as it was getting very easy stretched out. Very important was to staystitch the armholes and necklines 

The neckline and the armholes are finished with a bias band and all the edges are overlocked.

I love the back! Love the back neckline! The dress has an invisible zipper in the back. On the YouTube video review , starting with minute 11.20 I am demonstrating how I am inserting an invisible zipper, I always use this method, very easy and fast.

If you are checking my back for print matching....there is none!:))) I tried but that back seam was to shaped to get it right and the fabric was not cooperating so I lost interest and just cut...I did cut single layer for the back. 

The pattern has also fisheye darts but I did not have any cloth to pinch for them , the dress is already fitted enough. 

I am super happy with this dress! I waited two years to make it, whatever....I love it!

On my YouTube chanel, you can find the video review too, including the zipper tutorial.

And here is the "action" video :

Thank you for reading and watching ! Happy sewing!