Vogue Patterns: 1181 (Missus Caftan) - Type:Loungewear  | | Viewed 191 times
| 3 more reviews | Review rated Very Helpful by 3 people | | Reviewed by: | valkyrie01 | 
 | About valkyrie01 | | QC CANADA | | Member since: 8/7/11 | | Reviews written: 23 | | Sewing skills:Expert/Couture | | Favored by: 4 people | | patterns reviewed: 21 | | Bio: more... |
| | Posted on: | 11/19/12 10:33 PM | | Last Updated: | 11/19/12 11:28 PM | | Project Photo: |  | | Pattern Photo: | 
Vogue Patterns Pattern Info | | Pattern Rating: | Highly Recommend | | See other patterns in this category: Loungewear | | | | Fabric: | Polyester Brocade [See other projects in this fabric] | | Related Links | Click on  to add a link |
| Pattern Description:
MISSES' CAFTAN: Loose-fitting, floor length caftan with overarm dart, front opening, long sleeves, shaped middle and lower sections, topstitching, hook and eye closure
Pattern Sizing:
XS - XL, I made L
Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?
Yes, although I did not use such drappish fabric. Mine is a bit stiffer, but that is ok because it floats a bit more on me.
Were the instructions easy to follow?
YES!
What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern?
I think this is an ingenuous pattern because of the seams. There are no side seams; each section (three altogether) meets at the back for a long seam or "spine". The overall form from top to bottom is elegant and pleasing to the eye, and what fasinates me is that while it is a long outfit with the length and the vertical visual being obvious, Rucci almost defies gravity and reminds us of the horizontal by giving it "ribs" or those horizontal felled seams. The way that they angle down in the back gives the garment a "sweeping" long shape and very elegant sillouette. Just lovely! Superb!
On that same note, the the length of the seams can be a challenge. But a rewarding one. However it must be said that my 40-something eyes (yes, I am still avoiding getting reading glasses!) were crossing LOL!! There are three seams and a generous amount of hem to make, so go slowly here. ESPECIALLY if you make them as felled seams (which I recommend you mustre up the patience to do). Be prepared to cut the fabric on the floor (if you don't have a very long cutting table), there are three large pieces and the pattern requires 5.5 meters (whatever that is in yeards) that I don't think will fit on the average home sewer's cutting table! It is worth the effort though. Everyone has some aspect of sewing that they are not strong at and very long seams are mine; that is to say keeping them straight and not getting bored, antsy or distracted while sewing them. So this took a bit of extra effort on my part, in that regard.
Some people have mentionned that there is a lot of wasted or selvedge fabric... there is but I am eyeballing the extra and thinking "make matching slippers"! Haaha... Anyways, that is to be expected with this type of design. I sat there staring at it to see if there was a way to lay out the pattern pieces and waste less fabric, but this is not really; at least not without compromising the integrity of the pattern and the intentions of the designer. For those of you who do read my reviews you will know I am usually doggedly determined to stick to the intentions of the designer to the point I would call myself rather pedantic-minded about it.
Fabric Used:
Oh my goodness! "Tissue Inconnue" again...unknown fabric in the discount section.... It is definitely a drapery fabric, from Fabricville, a poly of some sort! I choose "polyester brocade" from the list for this review because that is as close a description as I can envision. It was the last 7 meters of this fabric so I bought that whole lot, on sale at $4.00 CAN / meter (was $19.99, so what a steal!) . It is a woven but very heavily woven (and with thicker threads) on the weft and very light on the warp. It is beautiful, but my only compaint is that I have never worked with a fabric that shreds as fast as I can cut it! Seriously, I could not even blow on it after it was cut! Even silk dupioni and most other brocades do not shred as fast as this one! Consequently the cuffs had to be overlocked on the bottom portion edges because they were starting to shred as I was finishing them! Also because of the severe differences in the warp and weft it made sewing the horizontal seams a bit challenging!
I do, however, love the drape of the fabric. Not quite as drap-y as the suggested fabric on the envelope but enough to hang and still have the eye drawn to the felled seams as they are the "ribs" of this design. I feel like a floating bronze-gold-brown flower garden in this fabric! So, it drapes but is a bit stiff and so the caftan stands out a bit more (than on the model on the cover of the pattern), consequently, which is fine by me as I have not been quite as lithe as that lovely young lady on the cover of the pattern for a couple of decades LOL...!
Pattern alterations or any design changes you made:
Not much really, I stuck to it all the way through as I saw it.
I did not sew on the hook and eye on the surface of the neck facings, but instead they are inside the garment; I buried the eye in the seam edge made by the facing. I made an eyelet on the facing on the other side, popped the hook out and secured it inside on the facing , then sewed the whole thing down. This is easy after coming off of making multiple brassieres and closures for them by hand lol! You can see my blurry photo
here.So it is nicely concealed and professional looking. Wish my camera was not so crappy...!
My only other change was that I did not add interfacing inside the collar and cuffs; the weft is stiff enough that it would have been really bulky and almost impossible to turn the facings and tuck them under on the inside.
As well, I decided to hem the bottom third of the caftan BEFORE attaching it to the rest of the caftan. Not every garment is this multi-pieced so I took advantage of this. So, not a design change, but a "way of sewing it" change. I would NOT recommend doing this unless you are my height, 5 feet 7 because I am in the upper normal range for the missus regular sizes. So, I got away with this. If you are shorter than I, I believe you will have to make wider seams for the horizontal seams. I say this because although the height range for regular sizes (for Vogue) is 5 feet 4 to 5 feet 7, it JUST grazes the floor for me. If you make it as I did and are shorter you are going to trip over the front. There is no provision on the separate pieces to shorten them. As someone who has drafted a few patterns I simply cannot see how it would be done because they are so large and so oddly shaped. So I would recommend making the horizontal seams with more seam allowance, making sure to make the seam allowances the same over the three pieces.
Would you sew it again? Would you recommend it to others?
I would recommend it to others because it is gorgeous and worth the effort. I would not sew it again only because I want to make another caftan, Koos Van Den Akker # Vogue 1106. That, along with this and a kimono I already have (self drafted and made with sari fabric!) make for three loungwear garments and that is plenty! I have to get back to making streetwear soon or I will just end up at work in my caftan! LOL!!
Here are a few other views:
click here
click here
Conclusion:
Worth the effort!
|
|
 Pattern with more than 5 reviews!
<< Previous Next >>
4 Comments
Login to Add a Comment |
|
|Login|Help]
What a sewing adventure this! It sounds like it was fascinating and educational to sew. So glad you love the end product!
11/20/12 9:49 AM
I also like to swan about in caftans at home, but I must admit this pattern intimidated me too much to buy/try it. Well done to you for making it a success!
11/21/12 9:48 AM
Very nice!! Interesting pattern!
11/21/12 3:19 PM
Great, I've been looking for this. Love your caftan!
12/11/12 4:17 PM