Tova dress

First ever single-handed photo shoot - mid-conversation with the toddler

I think I must have been the only person on the Wiksten bandwagon this spring who didn't get the cheap(er) download. After mulling it over for ages, I bit the bullet and ordered the expensive paper pattern, about two weeks before the pdf version was launched. How was I to know?? I don't really mind though, because I f*ing hate taping together all that bloody A4 there's something very beautiful about the paper and packaging of it.

Obligatory headless shot



I had been finally lured into getting it by a throwaway comment on a blog somewhere about the "universally flattering Tova". It didn't disappoint - the dress looks great and is incredibly easy to wear. It was easy to sew too, while just stretching my skills slightly with the yoke/placket/collar and sleeves.

The design is lovely, in the way that this dress has something sort of superior and not-homemade about it - immediate compliments were received the first time I wore it to the office, followed by astonished "you made it??" *.  It has been worn a lot since it was finished in April, and there will be an autumn version when I find time to go a fabric shop and actually manage choose something.

And finally of course they muscled in on the action

Geek notes:

• I made the M, without any of my usual FBA-gaping armhole-small back adjustments, and was relieved to find there's ease enough on the bust (I was worried it would come up small).
• As can be seen in the above pictures, I've got some armhole gape, but I can live with it - I'm not going to start fiddling around with the yoke too much (a self-imposed sewing rule: know your limits).
• The fabric is a linen-like natural fibre, which is all the detail I could get from the surly but helpful assistant at the wonderful Berger.

* this is not usually the reaction when I wear homemade clothes to work.