Gemma’s Park Lane Dress
Last month Gemma received the pink and grey floral spot cotton poplin in the Classic Box and used it to make a Nina Lee Park Lane Dress, perfect for a spring wedding.
I have to admit, this month’s fabric really pushed me out of my comfort zone. Usually I am a pretty good pattern/fabric matcher, and find it easy to visualise how things may look, but this month was truly the first time I was taking a chance and hoping for the best outcome!
Although not necessarily the kind of print I might usually gravitate to straight away, I love the boldness of the floral blossom, and the pink shades are just lovely and spring-like. I knew a print like this needed a pattern that wasn’t busy, something with a simple shape, so as not to disrupt the pattern too much.
I am very much enjoying making longer length dresses at the moment, something which I had previously shied away from (believing them to be ‘unflattering’ on someone who is on the shorter side) and so wanted to use that as a starting point. I looked through quite a few pattern ideas, and was toying with the idea of the Nina Lee Park Lane dress. I have recently tested her extended size range for this pattern (making the blouse version) and found the new sizing really good for curvier figures.
I had yet to try the dress version and was pondering whether it would work with this fabric…. But I was a little unsure as to whether it would have a slight 60’s vibe which, although I had no doubt would look great, I’m not sure if I like that style on me. The pattern recommends fabrics with lots of drape for the dress, such as viscose or silk, and this fabric is a little more structured than those, so wasn’t sure if it would ‘flow’ enough, but the website does have some tester pictures of versions that look like they are made of similar weight fabrics. However, no matter how many other patterns I looked at, I kept coming back to this one, so I followed my instinct and decided to go for it! I figured if the dress version didn’t suit me then I could always adjust it into a blouse, so hopefully a win whatever the outcome!
Size wise I went with the 20 for the dress. I think my main concern with fitting would be the hip area, and so I would rather it be too big and have to take it in than it come out too small! I do rate Nina’s instructions for her patterns – they are simple and clear to follow, and having been part of her testing group I can attest to how much attention to the details she puts in!
There are several variations for this dress: I chose to make the mid-length sleeve and plain neckline, and also added the shoulder ruffle detail. This was the first time I came across a dress pattern that didn’t have bodice darts, instead using waistline gathers to add some fitting, which is a nice detail and was one of the main reasons I wanted to use this pattern for this fabric, as it wouldn’t distort the bold print.
The back has a key-hole opening that is closed with a button loop closure, again giving some nice details to a simple look. This dress does have an invisible zip inserted into the side – I much prefer this as I find back zips so hard to reach, however the drawback to this means no in-seam pockets! A big sacrifice to me (and was almost a deal-breaker for whether I actually made the pattern or not!) but I thought I would try it this once for the sake of such a lovely dress.
Construction was such a pleasant experience. As mentioned, I find Nina’s patterns really easy to follow, and the dress itself is actually fairly simple – the hardest part I found was hemming the shoulder ruffles, that curve is so tricky! I had actually brought a rolled hem foot thinking it would make light work of this, but oh no, it was a disaster! I couldn’t get the hang of it, and nearly decided to leave them off entirely, but luckily I had a few scraps left that I could recut some more from, and although the hem of these ones aren’t great, I’m going with the ‘done is better than perfect’ motto and hoping it isn’t too noticeable!
The fabric was a dream to work with: nice and stable, and pressed really well. It gives a great gather on the sleeves, and luckily one of my fears did not happen – it wasn’t transparent! There is always that worry when using a light coloured fabric, and I certainly had a few fearful moments when attaching the skirt to the bodice, but they were not needed in this instance!
I held my breath when doing the first try-on and you know what? I actually really like it! It was such a relief, no one wants to make something only to then not be keen on it, but I am happy to say I think the pattern/fabric pairing worked out pretty well! It is certainly more of an ‘occasion’ kind of look rather than an everyday dress, and that is great as I finally have a few weddings to attend this year and think this will be perfect!
I have absolutely no issues with the fit – in fact I don’t even need to use the zip to get it on, so if making another at a later date I might just forgo the zip and then I can add some beloved in-seam pockets! It is comfortable and roomy to wear, and I think the slightly raised, gathered waistline actually looks quite flattering. I don’t think it is anywhere near the 60’s vibe I was worried it would be, instead having a more elegant feel, and I look forward to showing it off very soon!