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A Green Gillian Wrap Dress

Hello, friends!

 

Here’s my last make of 2014!

 

green gillian 1

This is the Muse Gillian wrap dress.  This is the first knit wrap dress I’ve made and I can tell you that I will never make another woven wrap dress again.  It always seems like I can never get the fit just right in a woven wrap dress and I’m forever worrying about showing too much boobage or having the sides open on me.  I have to alter the bodices to get them to fit right and it’s just a pain to wear.  This is not so with this knit dress.  It hugs snugly and does what you want it to do without worrying about wardrobe malfunctions.

[source: Muse Patterns]

I’ve loved this pattern since it came out and have been looking forward to making it.  I made the long sleeved version in a size 48 using jersey knits from Mood.  These fabrics I’m not so sure of…. These were both the “sale of the day” fabrics and 50% off so they were a steal.  They looked like they went together both in the online photos and when I received them.  However, when I started putting this dress together, it just seems like the chartreuse green is a bit too bright for this dress and that it doesn’t quite match.

green gillian 2

The print fabric is an Italian multicolor stretch rayon jersey and a chartreuse stretch cotton jersey.  Both fabrics held their colors splendidly and didn’t fade either of the times they were washed.  A more avocado colored green would have probably looked better in the contrast trim.

green gillian closeup

No, I didn’t iron this….

However, I’m not sure that it’s the bright chartreuse that really gets me as much as how the print kind of looks like camouflage…  I wore this dress shortly after making it around New Year’s in San Francisco and I noticed people staring at me.  I was wearing an avocado green scarf I had just knitted and my brown “leather” jacket with these same boots and everything was pretty coordinated and I thought that I looked damn good.  If you’ve ever been to San Francisco, you’ll know that people often dress pretty vibrantly in the city with eclectic outfits and I’ve never been stared at there.  It came to me that from a distance I looked like I was wearing a camo dress….. This was made even more clear when later in the day I wore this around my dad (an Army dude) who complimented me on my dress….. yeah…. because it looks like a camo dress.  My dad has never paid much attention to any of my dresses, so I figured something was up.  I abhor the camo print trend and would never sport it on any article of clothing, much less a dress. So every time I see this dress I think CAMO.  Which probably means that this dress is relegated to the “at home” section of my wardrobe.

green gillian collage

Beyond the colors and the print I do love this pattern.  Kat designed an easy to wear and flattering dress that goes together very well.  It does take a bit more fabric than my other knit dress patterns, but that’s not surprising with a wrap dress. The instructions are great and I wasn’t confused about any of the directions.  It fits me just right and is super comfortable to wear.  The only thing I might change next time is the tie sash as it seems a bit long and I’m not sure if I need the length.  I experimented with tying it around to the front and putting a bow on the side, but it looks better tied in the back.

green gillian 3

I went back and forth between my sewing machine and my serger while making this.  It’s not really a dress you could make fully on your serger as there is gathering on the bodice and a lot of top-stitching.  I love the little details and the slight retro 1940’s feel to it.  It’s a great pattern that I will most definitely be making again in the future.  Just not with a “camo” print! 🙂

green gillian 4

Happy Sewing!

signature

  • Dress:  Muse Gillian wrap dress in Italian rayon jersey print and chartreuse cotton jersey, made by me
  • Boots:  Aerosoles
  • Sunglasses:  Tory Burch

Comments

  2. This is a really stylish dress – love the bright contrast detail. Too funky to be camo. Don’t be put off!

  3. This is such a cute dress. I hope it’s not limited to wearing at home only. I really like colour of the contrast fabric. I’ve not used a Muse pattern before, but I’m very tempted after your makes. 🙂

  4. It also looks like you squared off the curved part of the hem? That was the other reason I abandoned by original attempt at this pattern, It was hanging horribly because I was using such a lightweight knit. I think most of my problems actually stemmed from using a knit that was too lightweight.

    • i think I did square that off…. It may have happened when I lengthened the skirt a little. That’s the problem with blogging about something you made more than a month ago as you forget the little things!

  5. I love this, I don’t think the camo thing is TOO obvious, though I guess it is there if you are looking. I need to revist this pattern for myself. I got about 75% done and the fit was NOT good, I don’t think I sized down enough in the bust and I think I need to grade up a size in the hips. I’m not used to wearing such a slim fitting skirt, but yours looks great! Can’t wait to see more versions!

  6. Oh drat! Up close, it doesn’t look at all like camo, but from a distance, yeah, it kinda does a bit. 🙁 (Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing – can’t be too many vaguely-camo-print-like wrap dresses out there, surely! 😉

    I love how this looks on you though! 🙂 Would it be ok if I added this (and your Jenna cardi) to the Made By You page on the Muse website?

    • It’s totally strange how that print looks different from further away! I do love this pattern though — so looking forward to making another one!! You can use whatever photos you want! 🙂

  8. Hahahaha you made me laugh the your “at home” wardrobe, I have one of those too! Your dress looks fabulous, I thought the trim was a nice touch but yes from a distance ‘camo’. I love this pattern as well, I will be making another of these when autumn starts to set in.

    • Ha ha! 🙂 Most of my knit dresses are my “at home” wardrobe, but I like how I can go out in them and not look like I’m wearing house dresses. This dress with the long sleeves really is great for colder weather, isn’t it?

  9. I actually really like the dress and fabrics, but as soon as you said camo….yeah… :/ but I guess you can count it as a muslin for future knit wrap dresses?

    • I know what you mean — as soon as you hear “camo”, that’s all you can see! lol! Yeah, it’s great for a muslin version, isn’t it?

  10. I can’t stop thinking about this make! It reads much more snakeskin than camo to me, and even though this (and wrap dresses in general with the exception of Crepe) silhouette is one I shy from, it looks so chic I might have to change my mind. I feel like this a-line has the perfect booty clinginess for slinky chic. I just
    had a disappointing first date with Mabel, and this skirt might be the perfect antidote for my wadder blues.

    • You should try it! It’s a great winter dress me thinks. Good to wear with leggings! It doesn’t cling and shows off your assets nicely! I have yet to try the Mabel…. I’m not into things that cling like that, but I thought it might be nice with leggings and a longer top. Sorry that didn’t work out for you!

  11. This dress is fantastic on you! I think an avocado contrast would have made it look more ‘camo’ but the chartreuse doesn’t. I hope you do wear it out – if not I’d take it off your hands too! 🙂

  12. You can send that right over here! Love chartreuse love the avocado and print reads “Pucci” to me.

  13. I love the fit of this on you. I’ve got the Gillian in my queue and really need to actual make it up.

  14. Gah, I swear this pattern looks good on EVERYONE – I think Kat is a magician (especially since she made the pattern with a toddler and while pregnant).

    I didn’t think camo at all when I saw it, but I did think, err… lizard. Which I think is much better. But either way, you look great – I hope we see many more of these on you 😀

    • I haven’t seen anyone look bad in this. The lines and the wrap totally make it for me!! Kat is truly a superwoman! And yeah… I see a bit of a lizard or something, too…. It’s’ weird how that pattern looks different from further away.

  17. I think the bright colour makes it pop. It looks fabulous on you and the straighter skirt looks incredibly flattering on you. My first thought when I saw that first picture was how much weight you had lost. I am popping over to order this dress now.

    • Thank you, Beajay! I have more of that chartreuse that was meant to make another dress, but not sure about having a full dress in that color. The pattern is super flattering. I can’t wait to make another!

  18. It’s funny because at first glance my brain also registered camo. On closer look, I really like the print, so it’s too bad about the camo bit.

    • It’s so strange how it appears different from further away! I thought the print was interesting although not really the kind of thing I’m drawn to.

  19. You look great in that. I didn’t think “camo”, I thought it looked more early 60’s/late 50’s like some cool hip filmstar. I love the fabric and the pattern looks nice. Good to have lots of options with the skirt and top. xx

  23. I like it–it fits you so well. Some of the further away pics look camo-ish, but up close it doesn’t. It’s a great pattern and certainly one I would make again.

    • Thanks, Robin! To be honest, I actually like it better after looking at these pics rather than my perception of myself in it. I do love the pattern.

  24. Very flattering dress. Even if you’re not crazy about the color combo together, you can look at this as a proof-of-concept/wearable muslin and make it the next time in two fabrics that you truly love together.

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Mrs. Hughes: A retro inspired, vintage garment sewing and plus-size dressmaking blog by Tanya Maile Hughes.