Sewn: Style Arc Talulah Dress

Well hello out there! And welcome to 2019 everyone!

Here's a project I finished way back in the summer, in preparation for wearing this fall and winter - an amazing case of sewing ahead of the season. It's the Talulah dress, from Style Arc Patterns. I usually sew in season, but I'd been wanting to make this pattern for a while, and the urge struck on one of the hottest weekends of the year. So I cut it out and stitched it up.

I have nothing but good things to say about this pattern! This is the size 14, my size according to the Style Arc size chart, and I didn't change a thing. My most common fitting adjustments are shortening the bodice length, and a full bust adjustment, but I chose to do neither. If I make this dress again, I think I might shorten the bodice, and add the length back at the hem, just to get the fullness of the gathers to sit a bit higher on my hip. But that's definitely more of a style adjustment than a fit one.

There is a slightly shaped centre back seam, so if you choose to do a sway back adjustment, there is a place for that to happen. The neckline sits in a good spot, and the sleeves fit the armscye nicely. They are maybe a hair long, but I like them. The skirt gathers are a little bit fiddly at the corners where the gathers begin and end, but still easy to sew. I used the serger for the bulk of construction, and just the regular machine and a straight stitch to attach the gathers and hem the skirt. The sleeve cuffs will take more stress, so I used the triple stitch to finish them.

The fabric is a regular ponte from Fabricland, so I'm sure it will pill more over time, but the colour is great, and I'm pretty sure it was on a $4 sale table, so I'm not going to worry about that too much. One thing about this fabric that I will note, is that it's a bit on the thin side. I had to search through these photos to find a handful that don't show the neckline of the undershirt I was wearing! If I come across a suitable fabric in a print of some kind, I might be tempted to make it again. At first I thought the style was kind of obvious to have more than one, but looking at these photos, I don't think that will be the case.

These photos were taken in October at the Palais de la Berbie in Albi, France. If you find yourself nearby, it is definitely worth a visit. We didn't have much time to explore, but did visit the Museum of Toulouse Lautrec, Albi's most famous son, and the neighbouring Cathedral of Saint Cecilia. The cathedral was such a surprise - the inside is covered in medieval frescoes, and it is truly stunning. Albi is even home to a small costume museum, the Musee de la Mode.

I leave you with a bonus photo of my intrepid photographer - looking every inch the part that day!