Brown Satin Dress - Simplicity 2401

I made this dress for Nina to wear to her brother's wedding.  We went fabric shopping together, and she picked the pattern and the fabric (with my 2 cents thrown in, of course!).

Simplicity 2401

The bodice is lined in cotton broadcloth, and the skirt is a slinky polyester satiny fabric that we found in the bargain bin.  I gotta say, I'm loving the contrast of the funky skirt!

Lining

 I love pleats!  There are 3 pleats on each bust piece.  I am loving how nice they look and how much more forgiving they are than darts in regards to fit.  Not to mention that they are so much faster and easier to sew than darts.

Finished Dress

I used the lining as my muslin.  I had to make a few minor changes.  I chose a size 14 based on the finished garment measurements.  The only measurement provided was the bust, so I didn't know what the waist or the hips would be.  I had to let out the waist/top of hips a bit, and I did a 1 1/2" swayback adjustment.  I also shorted the bodice 1" at the waist seam.

 The back of the bodice of this dress was kinda weird, so I changed it completely.  They have you make an elasticized section at the center back, and there's no zipper.  Judging by how snug it fits at the waist seam, I don't see how you could pull it on without a zipper.  I created a seam at the center back and put in an invisible zipper.

I originally put in side seam pockets, but when Nina tried the dress on, they flipped out funny.  So I sewed them shut.  Problem solved.

 I was pleasantly surprised that this dress went together very easily.  The design was very simple, and it practically sewed itself!