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Please help! KwikSew A-Line Dress Looks Like a Potato Sack
littlehen   Advanced Beginner NY USA Member since 5/15/09 Posts: 90	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 5/15/11 5:55 PM I am thinking maybe a-line style dress and skirts are not a great style for my full waist/hips. I sewed a muslin of KwikSew 3871 Misses' Dress which is a sleeveless a-line style dress. (I'll try to post the link but am not sure if I am doing it right). Click here The dress fit pretty well from my neck to my hips after some upper arm/shoulder alterations (I am learning how to alter patterns as I go and wish I would learn more about what to do before cutting the pattern!). From the hips to the hemline, the dress just hung with way too much fabric. Is there a way to alter the bottom half of the dress or do I need to pick a different style altogether? Thanks for any help at all!
Sewshable1   Intermediate GA USA Member since 8/24/02 Posts: 422	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 5/15/11 6:49 PM in my opinion it looks like a potato sack on the Kwiksew model too- at least the long one does... Maybe that's the answer? can you shorten it any? If you cut at the hem-it will reduce the spread at the bottom too. ------ You can judge the true character of a man by the way he treats the people who can do nothing for him
JeanM Intermediate VA USA Member since 6/25/05 Posts: 118	Login to reply to this post In reply to littlehen Like this post Date: 5/15/11 6:54 PM I think that's just the "style" of that dress - loose and comfortable...but not much pizzaz. You might try pinning or basting out some of the a-line shape and trying the dress on to see if you like it better. Another thought that occurs to me is trying some sort of belt, or putting in some elastic around waist level to provide some shaping.
unfinishedprojects   Advanced AB CANADA Member since 8/26/07 Posts: 522	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 5/15/11 7:34 PM Quote: Another thought that occurs to me is trying some sort of belt, or putting in some elastic around waist level to provide some shaping. I agree. Maybe sew a matching sash/belt and tie it at the waist or higher- wherever you are smallest. If you're pear shaped like me, an empire waist tends to be most flattering.
littlehen   Advanced Beginner NY USA Member since 5/15/09 Posts: 90	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 5/15/11 7:39 PM Thanks for the great suggestions! I did shorten it to above the knee and it was a bit better and tapering the side seams helped a bit too. Thank you! I think your both right: it's a pretty shapeless casual dress. I think I am going to try a lighter fabric as well that has more drape to see if it gives a bit of shape. Thank you again!
Elona   Advanced CA USA Member since 8/24/02 Posts: 7401	Login to reply to this post In reply to littlehen Like this post Date: 5/15/11 7:42 PM as sewshable says, this dress is nothing more than a sack. The line drawing says it all. Did you have a particular look in mind, something you could link a picture of? -- Edited on 5/15/11 7:43 PM --
TessKwiltz   Intermediate TX USA Member since 9/21/07 Posts: 1313	Login to reply to this post In reply to littlehen Like this post Date: 5/15/11 8:58 PM Quote: littlehen ...I think I am going to try a lighter fabric as well that has more drape to see if it gives a bit of shape. ... I was going to suggest this very thing. I have a half dozen RTW versions of this type of dress for wearing in the tropics - all in rayon challis. I am a rectangle so this type of dress in a drapey fabric is fairly flattering on me - it hides the fact that my ribcage, waist and hips are all about the same. On me it basically hangs from the bust and to lesser extent from the posterior. The fluid fabric keeps it from being too sack-like. If you're more pear than rectangle you might be better off with more waist definition. ------ Tess On threadpainting flowers: "How many colors are in a flower? ... How many do you have?" - Ellen Anne Eddy
littlehen   Advanced Beginner NY USA Member since 5/15/09 Posts: 90	Login to reply to this post In reply to TessKwiltz Like this post Date: 5/15/11 9:18 PM Quote: TessKwiltz [quote]...I think I am going to try a lighter fabric as well that has more drape to see if it gives a bit of shape. ... I was going to suggest this very thing. I have a half dozen RTW versions of this type of dress for wearing in the tropics - all in rayon challis. I am a rectangle so this type of dress in a drapey fabric is fairly flattering on me - it hides the fact that my ribcage, waist and hips are all about the same. On me it basically hangs from the bust and to lesser extent from the posterior. The fluid fabric keeps it from being too sack-like. If you're more pear than rectangle you might be better off with more waist definition. [/quote] I think I am more of a rectangle also, and I am short. Thanks for sharing what kind of styles work - I can see what doesn't work but can't always figure out what would look better. Thanks very much!
littlehen   Advanced Beginner NY USA Member since 5/15/09 Posts: 90	Login to reply to this post In reply to Elona Like this post Date: 5/15/11 9:24 PM Quote: Elona as sewshable says, this dress is nothing more than a sack. The line drawing says it all. Did you have a particular look in mind, something you could link a picture of? -- Edited on 5/15/11 7:43 PM -- I am not really sure what I have in mind - I just want to find a style that is somewhat flattering on my short, boxy frame. I think I need to keep working on what styles flatter my shape and then fimd some patterns that are similar. In the meantime, I will make up a new muslin with a different weight fabric and see if it works as a short casual dress. Thanks!
Elona   Advanced CA USA Member since 8/24/02 Posts: 7401	Login to reply to this post In reply to littlehen Like this post Date: 5/15/11 9:33 PM OK, then I will suggest something to try, if you're feeling adventurous. I've been to two of Marcy Tilton's bias seminars, and she had some basic, actually scarcely-fitted linen garments along the lines of what you just made, but cut on the bias with a CF and CB seam (to make sure the 'hang' was balanced), and I have to say that the results on an otherwise plain garment were stunning. Here's a link to her approach.

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