Colette Myrtle

 

This is the newest Colette Patterns release called Myrtle.  I bought it before it was released during a promotion.  I wish they would put me on a list of people who buy every one of their patterns so they could just mail it to me without asking if I want it.  Of course I do.

 

I've decided to call this a wearable muslin so I'll feel better about the extremely poor workmanship.  It's an incredibly easy pattern to follow but I decided to make it more challenging for myself by making some really goofy mistakes.  Also, after an incredibly mild summer in the Midwest, it decided to be 100 degrees today and I'm pouty about it so there are going to be two pictures of me in this dress.  And both of them include not-so-great-looking hair. 

 

There are 5 pattern pieces to this dress: Bodice front, bodice back, skirt front, skirt back and pocket.  The back bodice is finished with a twin needle (unless you have an overlocker).  I usually don't have an issue with the twin needle.  I bought this fabric on the clearance rack and it is super flimsy.  The twin needle ate it up but somehow I made it through.  I just hope no one ever inspects it closely. 

 

There are some nifty little sewing tricks in this pattern that I liked.  The front bodice is a very long piece that you fold in half to make the cowl neck.  Then you sandwich the back bodice in between the layers and stitch the shoulder and side seams.  Super easy! Unless, of course, you get the back bodice twisted around like me and have to pick out the serged seam.

 

To insert the elastic in the waistband, you sew two rows of stitching at the waistband to form a flap and then fold it over the elastic and sew to enclose it.  Easy!

 

 

The picture in the instructions clearly shows that you are supposed to pull the bodice out of the skirt to enclose the elastic.  I missed that part and sewed it while the bodice was tucked inside the skirt.  I'm almost positive that it took me longer to unpick the zigzag stitch around the waistband than it did to sew the entire dress.  It took that long. 

 

The part I'm going to have to change is the neckline.  I made an XS for the top and graded out to a S for the waist and skirt.  I'm going to take out a rather large wedge from the front bodice pattern piece because it dips so low on me that it's obscene without a cami underneath.  This probably isn't a problem for a bustier gal but busty I am not. 

 



 

I could probably live in Myrtles and Monetas all summer long.