2014-09-24

WIP: Kwik-Sew 3473 in "chiffon-crepe"

Having dug myself out from a lot of work, I've started cutting this pattern. The fabric came from Alfatex back when I was in Germany:


I don't like the print as much IRL as I did in their pictures, for two main reasons. Firstly, the colors are clearer, brighter, and cooler than they looked on the site. Secondly, though it's meant to be a tossed (i.e. somewhat random-looking) design, the repeat is not very big, and it isn't offset diagonally, so you can see obvious motifs marching down the length. I'm hoping that the bias cut of the skirt in this pattern will mitigate the latter problem to some extent.

The print looks imperfectly registered, too, but since there are other white outlines in it that are clearly meant to be there, I can't tell if that's intentional or not.

Notwithstanding all that, I'm sewing this anyway because I do like the drape and fiber content (supposedly viscose, and I believe it; the selvedge fringe looks very much like viscose threads). It doesn't seem that easy to find high-quality lightweight woven rayons these days, so I might well settle for something like this in RTW, even if I wasn't completely happy with the color. The actual, structural quality of this fabric seems nice enough. Alfatex called it "chiffon-crepe"; I might call it georgette.

The pattern is odd in that the bodice, and only the bodice, is lined. Evidently it's their way of finishing the neckline without needing a facing. Because this fabric is semi-sheer, it will need a lining or a slip anyway, so I'll line either the whole body or none of it. For a lining I'd use dark gray or navy Bemberg from stash. That should complement the outer fabric, and with luck, tone down the colors slightly.

I don't have quite as much fabric as I'm supposed to for the long-sleeved version, but we'll see — I think I can get the skirt cut out more efficiently than in the given layout. If it comes to it I'll use the short sleeves and/or leave the bow off.

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