Woohoo, FO!

Done! One Vintage dress, completed.

This was my attempt at self photography, and the colour is completely wrong. The top picture is the best for the colour. But you can see some of the problems I encountered in this picture. This was the first pattern I altered, as well as my first vintage pattern, and I over-did it. I was worried that it would be too tight at the bust, so it ended up being far too loose, both across the bust and at the waist.

The pattern called for a placket, secured with hooks and eyes, but I decided I preferred an invisible zip. I've just noticed that this photo makes it look like the side seams are not lined up well, but in real life they are perfectly aligned.
And from the inside (I'm very pleased with this zip!).

And another picture where the colour is accurate. This is the result of not reading the instructions all the way through, and I missed the fact that the sleeves are actually in two parts, a sleeve and a cuff. I missed the cuff, and suddenly had to do something to cover the raw edges. I grabbed some bias binding and it went very nicely indeed. With binding, I either love it to bits, or wish the inventor had never been born, today I loved it.

Did I mention that this was actually supposed to be a wearable muslin? It is. It's not terribly wearable, as the bodice is... roomy, but I think if I chop a load off the skirt to shorten it I should be able to get away with it as a summer-y dress. Now to think what the final dress will be. Something more drapey I think, and possibly a bit more stretchy.

What would I change for the final version? The central panel of the bodice needs to be longer, and the whole bodice front needs to be less wide. The front opening needs to be longer, as there is supposed to be a slash coming down a whole load more, and closed with two buttons sewn together on a cord (which was one of the features that drew me to this pattern, so I want to get this right). Definitely more drape for the fabric. Maybe something less hard to photograph as well!

But now I have finished this muslin, I need to make a muslin for another dress, as I have several weddings to go to and want to have a nice, summer polite dress to wear. I have fabric, I have pattern. I need to get going on it.