McCalls 6725

As I shared with you before, this pattern is from the 90s and therefore out of print. I was looking for a shirtdress with a circle skirt and this was perfect. It has been a while since I wore such a swingy skirt, and can I tell you it feels very girlish and fun. The fabric is a cotton shirting from Michael's Fabrics/A Fabric Place and I have enough for a fall dress; it was a joy to work with!

The bodice has a collar with no stand and no back facing so I followed Connie Long's instructions in Easy Guide to Sewing Blouses and I had no problems. There is no shaping on this bodice, no darts and the side seams are straight (mine ended up with some shaping to allow for a larger waist/hip). As you can see the bodice is a bit poofy in places but it doesn't bother me, this is the way it's drafted. The pattern instructs you to use facings for the armholes, instead I used the Burda method and made bias strips to finish them.

The skirt has pockets. I used the version with the longer skirt and shortened it to my knees.

One word of general warning. When marking my buttonholes I used the red wax/chalk that I bought in many colors in NYC and which disappears when it is pressed. Well, this color did not disappear

I washed the dress many times and most of it came out, you can see it if you are looking for it. I know many of us have bought this marking tool so beware!

These photo sessions are exhausting! ;-)