I want to start this post off by sincerely thanking Figo Fabrics for gifting me this fabric. This is R90329-89, a rayon print from the 'Forage' Collection, designed by Sarah Gordon. This rayon is absolutely stunning (if you have seen some of my other makes, you will know that I am a big fan of having bugs and animals in my fabric prints), and the colour is different from anything else that I currently have in my wardrobe. The rayon also feels absolutely amazing on the skin, it is so soft! I have never actually worked with rayon before, but I have found this to be a very enjoyable experience.
When I had the chance to work with such a beautiful rayon, I knew that I wanted to make something inspired by the 1930's that could be used for everyday wear. The 1930's are known for their elegant, almost slinky dresses made by cutting the fabric on the bias, which gave wovens some stretch and allowed them to hug a persons curves. Rayon was popular in the 1930s and 1940s since it came in so many different prints, was not too expensive, and gave the silhouette that was popular at the time. 1930's fashion is probably my favourite era of fashion, so I wanted to take some of the most iconic details of the era and use them in a modern dress. I originally had planned to draft my own pattern and drew up a few sketches with a high, gathered neckline and statement sleeves. A few days later I ended up finding a pattern almost identical to my drawings!
The pattern was B6704. I used the bodice pattern from this in my last post, the Lascaux Dress, as a fit test for this dress. The pattern features a half circle skirt (which is lovely and floaty in this rayon), bishop sleeves with a wide, buttoned cuff, and a faux-knot detailing at the bodice. I am so pleased with the fit of this pattern (I was able to cut it out in a size 8 and it fit without any adjustments whatsoever), although I would prefer to make the skirt an inch or two longer next time.
The statement sleeves are my favourite part of the whole design. Bishop sleeves are some of my favourite details you can add to a garment, and I love how wide the cuffs are on these ones. The lightness of the fabric made it perfect for all of the gathering details and the slippery-ness of the rayon means that I can wear tights under the dress without needing a slip to prevent the skirt from catching on the wool. Wearing it for a day helped me understand why rayon was popular for so many years! It is soft for those with sensitive skin, dries quickly, is warm enough to wear with layers on cold days but light enough to wear on warm days, and I have found that this rayon does not crease badly at all. I find it to be very important that I can wear my dresses all year round, since it is chilly for 3/4 of the year in Canada, and this dress definitely fits the bill.
Another reason why I chose this design is because I am hoping to travel with this dress. While I am very cognizant that the pandemic is still going on (and very aware of the other major issues going on abroad currently), I have been accepted into a two week long field school through my university which will be happening in May. I was accepted for this field school quite a while ago and it is focused on the subject that I will be writing my Honours Thesis on next year - the Holocaust. We will be travelling through Paris, Berlin, Prague, and Munich to discuss how the Holocaust has been represented through museums and memorials in Europe. I am desperately hoping that this field school will go ahead since this is my only chance to get this opportunity (I will be graduating from my undergrad in April next year).
If you are interested in some of the more technical details of the dress, here they are: the dress was entirely put together with 7 mm french seams and hemmed with a small rolled hem. The cuffs close with three buttons and the dress closes with a center back lapped zipper. Details in this dress include a faux knot detail at the neckline, a three piece, knee-length a-line skirt, bishop sleeves, and no darts for shaping. I found the pattern to be very easy to follow and the rayon was not difficult to work with at all, although I would recommend using an abundance of pins for each seam before you sew them to prevent any slipping. Overall, this was a nice project to be working on even though it is getting close to the end of the semester and to exam time.
Thank you very much for reading!
~Katherine
A very kind gentleman loaned me his pug named Ruby for a few photos - isn't she a natural born model?
