In my head, this photoshoot looked more 'winter wonderland' and less 'construction site', but anyone who's lived through building work will know how trashed a garden gets. Nevertheless, the novelty of photographing a festive dress during snowfall was far too strong a pull.
I expressed my love for this pattern when I made view C, but sadly I don't think this version will get any wear in its current state. I just don't feel comfortable at all in a figure-hugging skirt. Despite wearing big spanx and tights, I still felt super self-conscious of my bumpy/lumpy hips and I don't see that ever changing.
Also, I'm not so sure that my large bust looks at its best draped in shiny pleats. However, I do like the bodice and could probably overlook this issue if the skirt was to my liking, so I'm quite tempted to order some more fabric for a fuller skirt. Doing so would make this a really pricey dress though!
If you're curious about sizing, I made a 42 and graded the hips up to a 44. The sleeves were a little loose so I increased the seam allowance on those and I also shortened the skirt by 7cm. I then had to unpick some of the side seams to make the slits longer again, so something worth thinking about if you need to take up the skirt.
Working with pleated velvet was no problem at all thanks to my walking foot and a stretch needle. Just like the last time I made this pattern, I added clear elastic to the waistline. I really don't get why the pattern doesn't call for it, but I do know that heavy velvet needs something to stop it from sagging and losing its shape.
If you're wondering where the cute rabbit fits in, it's not every day I make a dress that matches my velvety Birdie bunny! For this happy accident alone, I'm tempted to throw more cash at this dress to make it wearable for me. What do you think? Should I get more fabric and replace the skirt with a fuller shape?
