The Marguerite Dress by Sew Over It

I have had this fabric and this pattern paired since last summer, but (as can happen with a number of us I believe), my dream project list exceeds my sewing time, so this plan only came to fruition a year later. As soon as this pattern came out, though, I knew I had to make it part of my wardrobe sooner or later! I am glad I made time for it this summer.

The Pattern

The Marguerite Dress by Sew Over It is a summer frock. It has a softly rounded neckline, bust shaping achieved by darts and gathers from the waist up; with its waistband and gathered skirt, it has this hourglass silhouette I favour in dresses.

Here is the technical description on the Sew Over It website:

Marguerite features a semi-fitted bodice, with bust darts and pretty gathering into the waistband. The gathering is mirrored on the knee-length skirt, which features cleverly-constructed in-seam pockets. The sleeves are grown-on and are finished with unique tapering cuffs. The dress has a pretty slit detail in the centre back, and closes with both an invisible zip and hook and eye. The neckline is finished with a facing.

Pattern Instructions:

The instructions are very detailed, with many touches for a lovely finish such as a slipstitched waistband on the inside; the sleeve cuffs and pockets were very neatly done as well, though I omitted both in my version. To be entirely honest, I had planned to sew both the pockets and sleeve cuffs as instructed, but on the day I sewed this dress, it was very hot and I was in a vertigo-induced brain-fog, so I felt it safer to abstain in order to minimise failure. While I usually avoid shortcuts, I sewed this project as a pick-me-up during a work-intensive period, so I chose to eschew any possible frustration.

As usual with Sew Over It PDF patterns, the instructions were illustrated with photographs rather than line drawings. I tend to find this less clear than drawings, but it was not the case with this particular pattern, probably because the print chose for the model was light and there was a clear difference between the wrong and right sides.

My Alterations:

• As stated above, I omitted the pockets and the sleeve cuffs.
• I inserted the zipper at the back from the top of the dress, instead of doing a slit at the top centre back.
• The shoulder seam was sitting towards the back instead of right at the top of my shoulders, so I decreased the height of the front at the shoulders by taking in 1 cm to bring the seam forward.
• The top of the centre back was gaping considerably, which is probably due to 2 factors: my having a narrow back (I typically reduce back width on patterns), and my omitting the slit, so I took the centre back in by 3.5 cm on each side, tapering down to meet the regular seamline 5 cm above the waist.

Fabric

I made this dress out of an organic cotton chambray from Les Trouvailles d’Amandine, which is called Dots Lagune. The organic cotton fibre was spun, woven and dyed in France. This had been in my stash for a year, and it was definitely one my favourite pieces in my collection. The handle and feel are so lovely, with a nice drape and a smooth, fresh touch. The weave of this chambray is rather open, so threads have a slight tendency to be pulled (as in viscose/viscose crepe) if not careful when pinning and sewing. As a result, I was heedful of pinning the pieces inside the seam allowances. I used a size 80 universal sewing needle.

Conclusion

Even though the execution is not quite up to my usual standards, as I took a couple of shortcuts from the pattern’s elegant instructions due to vertigo-induced brain fog, I am pleased with this addition to my summer wardrobe. Summers are hot and last quite a few months here in Montpellier, so a new frock is never de trop in my wardrobe. This one has been in heavy (and happy) rotation since wearing it. It is both simple, understatedly graceful, and very comfortable to wear on a hot day, as the bodice isn’t much fitted and the fabric is very breathable. I am definitely earmarking this pattern to make another Marguerite some day!