Navy Blue Vogue V1879 Dress (Pattern Review)

I have mixed feelings about the dress I made with this pattern. I often pick a couture pattern to make a garment, knowing it will involve much more hand sewing than my usual projects. What attracted me to this pattern, Vogue V1879 Claire Shaeffer’s Custom Collection* is the simplicity of the overall look and the small details the dress has such as the unusual shape of the bodice or back elements of the design.

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For this project, it was the fabric that dictated the pattern I used. As part of the Minerva Brand Ambassador Program*, I was sent this lovely navy blue Minerva Core Range Duchess Satin Fabric*, about which I’ve written a post on Minerva’s website* that gives details of my thoughts on working with it. If you want to know more, please see the link to my post here*.

This is one of the projects that took longer to complete as it involved a lot more hand-sewing than I anticipated. Also, some pieces of the dress had to be cust on a single layer of fabric.

I did try to use the sewing machine as much as possible from basting to hewing seams or temporary stitching in the interfacing in place. But still, the whole process took me quite a long time.

Sewing Summary

Pattern: Vogue V1879 Claire Shaeffer’s Custom Collection* – Bias cut A-line dress, close-fitting through bust, lining sewn by hand, has front darts, deep-V back neckline with band detail, back zipper sewn by hand with hook and eye closure, lingerie guards, blind hem with hem interfacing and hem weights.

Sizing: US 6-8-10-12-14 and 14-16-18-20-22

Fabric: 3m Minerva Core Range Duchess Satin Fabric*, lining: 1.6 m navy blue Minerva Core Range Charmeuse Silky Satin Fabric* interfacing: 1 m black Crystal Organza Fabric*

Notions: 11″ (28 cm) Zipper, instructions call for Hook and Eye and Hem Weights which I did not use for my dress.

Modifications: Using my body measurements, I cut a size 12 instead of size 14 that my body measurements required. I also shortened the skirt by 5 cm to account for my height (5ft2 or 1.57m).

Instructions: They were fairly easy to follow. I did not include in my dress the hook and eye, the hem weights, or lingerie guards so I skipped those steps in the instructions.

Fit: The finished dress due to going down to a smaller size and taking off is too tight on me. I’m hoping to lose some weight, maybe then the dress will look less fitted.

Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it?: Not really. This is mostly because I made a size too small and I shortened the skirt.

Watch out for: there is a lot of hand sewing involved with this pattern.

Make Again?: Yes, when I get the courage to deal with all the hand-sewing involved. I will, however, make the correct size for me, 14. Lesson learned. For Vogue patterns better to use the actual body measurements to pick the size, rather than the finished garment measurements.