The Atelier Brunette Viscose Crepe Elodie Dress
It’s felt so good to get back behind the sewing machine. We’ve had some beautiful sunny (but still very cold) days which has got me planning my spring/summer wardrobe.
I purchased 3m of this gorgeous Atelier Brunette viscose crepe which works so well with my soft colour palette.
I decided that I wanted to make a dress, one that could be dressed up but also worn more casual so that it didn’t get wasted hanging in the wardrobe waiting for a “special occasion”. So I decided to make another Closet Core Elodie Wrap Dress.
I’ll be totally honest. I’ve not made anything from viscose before. I usually like to work with (and wear) natural fabrics (linen, cotton lawn, silk) but I needed something a little more affordable. This fabric certainly wasn’t cheap (£47.15 for 3m) so I was hoping it would still be great quality, and I wasn’t disappointed. It washed, sewed and pressed well and was surprisingly easy to cut out too. I used a rotary cutter and weights rather than pins and scissors. Sadly I can’t link the fabric right now as its sold out.
This pattern has lots of lovely details such as release pleats, but you don’t notice them as much on this version as you do on my Linen version. Maybe because of the print, or due to how soft the fabric is.
I made the short sleeved version this time which makes it much easier to wear it more casual with a jacket. I didn’t have enough fabric for the longer sleeves option anyway. In fact, I struggled with 3m, so much so that I had to cut the belt ties against the wrong grain, but they worked out fine (phew).
I do really like this dress, and I know that I will wear it lots. However I feel that for my body shape I prefer it made with a more stable fabric like the linen so that I get a bit more body through the skirt. I am quite flat chested, and my waist is also quite straight, so I feel that the fluidity of this fabric highlights my rectangular upper body shape.
That said, I did try it with a contrast belt and it makes quite a difference to the overall appearance at the waist. So maybe a contrast waistband fabric could be an option next time.
This pattern is surprisingly un-complex and pretty quick to make. I’d say it took about 4-5hrs of sewing time so you could easily get it completed over a weekend.
The only element that I had to refer to the instructions for was the waistband. I always get confused with my left and right pieces, the pattern does make it clear that its the side when wearing, but I dunno, my brain just doesn’t seem to process my left and rights. And I still got it wrong!
The only other thing to mention that I would do differently next time, is the interfacing. The bodice has a facing which is interfaced. I used what was in my stash but think its a bit too heavy and crisp for the super soft fabric, so next time I’ll buy the correct one. I’m sure (hoping) that it will soften in the wash.
In summary, I really like this dress. The colours are perfect to fit in with my wardrobe which is transitioning to a soft palette. If you would like to find out more about a colour consultation click Here.
The approximate costings for making this dress are;
Fabric £47.15
Interfacing approx £2
Thread £2
Pattern PDF £14.25 (although I’ve used it twice now so could half it for this project)
TOTAL approx £65.40