verykerryberry: The Assembly Line V-Neck Dress in Chambray

Wednesday, 5 December 2018

The Assembly Line V-Neck Dress in Chambray

As promised, here's my second The Assembly Line make: the V-neck Dress. I was

attracted to this style by the narrowness of the V-neck and the back neck collar, plus I knew I'd enjoy working through the collar construction. I used some Robert Kaufmann medium weight Chambray Dobbies Hash that I've had for three years waiting for the right project and it turned out to be a winning combination!

The standard seam allowance on Assembly line patterns is 1cm (3/8") so I made a rough toile of the top part of the dress to test the depth of the V and fit around the sleeves. I went for quite a close fit and ended up raising the V point by around 1/2" which also brings the neckline in slightly and added a rounded back/shoulder alteration which is standard for me. Fitting for this style is all about the neck, shoulders and bust; getting those areas to fit well avoids the sack-like potential that can easily happen on a dress with optional waist definition.

My other alterations were to move the end of the bust dart upwards by 1/2" and redraw the dart, and I also extended the dress hem by a couple of inches. Otherwise, I cut the pattern in size XS and the combination of the fabric and instructions meant the construction was a joy. I love it when details like exactly when to overlock on a trickier section are included as it makes for such a neat finish.

The tie belt has an interfaced centre section so there's a little extra body against your back and I think it helps it to stay in place too.

If I'm working at home, I take the belt off. It's a relaxed fit but not voluminous. I'm really happy with it! It's quite a quick make so I'm planning my next version, I've got some lovely Intermix chambray from Plush Addict which is a soft woven in a medium weight and I'd like to try the sleeves at full length and add a little extra length in the lower skirt. The boots are Sanita Puk, I sold a few bits and pieces and bought myself these and I love them! There's nothing like the sound of clog boots.