Here is my first wearable muslin for my party dress, using Burda Mag’s 08-2012-110 sequin dress pattern. The best part? My husband loves this top!
Yes, I confess. This is a polyester stretch satin I bought in Taquara. I am sure many of my problems stem from that. I was inspired by the 13/14 Fall/Winter Marc Jacobs satin trend: simple, clean lines with a pretty shiny finish.
It is also a rather warm shirt thanks to all that polyester, which makes it nice for cool winter evenings, but after wearing it a few times it is going to look like it had a hot date with sandpaper. It is really snaggy. So the weird parts…
See those bias wrinkles? It came off the bolt that way, and unless I melted the fabric, the iron couldn’t get hot enough to take them out. Pre-washing didn’t do it either. All my seams rippled, included the extra one at CB that I added after making my short back waist alterations. Hurray for no puddles! At least that fit problem has been solved. 
As you can see, this pattern has a lot of ease, which is also why it is zipper-less. It is strangely drafted around the arm scythes and sleeve caps, like they were trying to fuse a dolmen sleeve and a fitted sleeve. At first I thought it was a fit issue or a bias/growing issue, until I looked at the photo more carefully.
See the model even has the underarm/sleeve craziness, so its the style. The French dart is nice, and it is super comfortable to wear. It sits nicely at the shoulders and I can chase my son around. I just don’t think this style says “party dress” or “evening” when sitting on my body. This reads more casual, right? I can see it as a comfy belted day dress in a drapey print, maybe in a warmer fiber like wool for winter with the long sleeves.
And the final weird bit?
The jewel neckline doesn’t fit correctly. So what? Now I need a fat neck adjustment? There are some things I wish I didn’t have to think about in fit. It might have to do with my shoulder front width, but still, it is clearly higher and tighter than the model’s. I find it odd that the back doesn’t have a hint of this problem. I have never encountered this before because I tend to gravitate to scoop and v-necks. Alas this fabric doesn’t allow for much unpicking due to its nature, but at least I know for next time.
Overall, it is a quick and easy pattern with a few interesting touches. I don’t like this top because I don’t think it flatters my figure nor does it showcase my sewing skills well; but I’ve worn it and it looks pretty with the dramatic necklace and skinny jeans. Will I make it again? Not any time soon. I hear a quote from Stacy (What Not to Wear) when I look at this top: “It is nice, but we can do better.”
I’m off to hunt down a different pattern for my party dress.
Tereza Sews 
Yay – no puddles ! 🙂
=D hehe all thanks to your awesomeness!
Hi Teresa – I agree yay no puddles – the fit through the back looks great. But I have to agree with your final comment – lots more better looks out there than this that just is “so-so”.
Another thing is that IMHO shiny satins are very hard to sew and wear in a flattering manner – the shiny picks up every bump, wrinkle and crease both from a construction and a body point of view. I had heaps of shiny fabric (magpie tendencies here – oooh shiny –) which I finally found a great use for – princess capes for dressups!! The playcentre children loved them!!
I am a total magpie too! My friends always laughed at my “ooo shiny” or “squee” tendencies! I have a little more of this fabric so maybe I’ll make my son a superman cape in gold. I’ll have to measure him and see. Thanks for the tip. I have to agree, after this project I think I’ll stick to cotton sateen for shine. So much easier to work with!
I’m with Sarah of “What not to wear”.
However I’m really impressed with the back of that top. I’ve got a short back and it’s the bane of my fitting life. (Well one of them. Banes that is, not lives, being human not feline.) Yours fit is lovely!
I’ve found working with shiny kinda depressing, as it highlights everything, whether I want it to or not.
As for the armscye, on the line drawing it shows it comes in to the shoulder further than most things do. Weird. It looks like it simply isn’t quite wide enough across the shoulders? Maybe that’s affecting the neckline fit?
Thanks! That back is the result of working and tweaking with Burda patterns since April with wonderful feedback from my readers to get that fit. I am so happy that at least that part of this shirt is working!
As for the neckline, its a thought. I will have to try a standard draft from Burda with a jewel neckline and see if its just this pattern or if it is truly a fit issue I have to figure out for all higher necklines.
Fun and games! I only have one more project to finish before I start the next round, so my mind is whirling! I’m almost afraid to use another pattern company now since I have figured out so many of my “standard adjustments” for Burda!.