[rachelgold]

So, has anyone else had the idea to size this up for themselves? Suggestions? Surely it couldn’t be tooooo hard…

[rachelgold]

I meant this to be a post on the roller skate dress, though I guess that doesn’t show up in the regular feed

[wendy]

I haven’t, but the basic shape reminds me of this Burda pattern:

http://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/anda

[rachelgold]

Ooooh, thank you for the link – that does look very similar!

[meleliza]

I really find the Lisette Attache dress is the grown up version of the roller skate dress. It’s a simple, easy to wear shape with cut-on sleeves that would look great in just about any fabric. However, it’s built for grown up women and will flatter many, if not all, figures. The roller skate dress is sheer genius on children, but would look like a potato sack on me. It has nothing to accomodate a grown up figure – no bust shaping, no back shaping, nothing to flatter.

Of course, there are some people who could pull it off. For those, that Burda pattern does look remarkably similar. Maybe if you made it in a fabric with extremely fluid drape it would help make it look grown up. Challis or charmeuse, perhaps.

[rachelgold]

That attache dress is pretty cute. The thing about sewing for myself that intimidates me is that I have a greater-than-size-B chest and that’s the sum total of my curves; I’m pretty slight and not tall. I know Liesl has posted some wonderful links to books that explain how to adjust and…I’m so lazy, I just want to start easy =) A lot of the Lisette patterns look very fitted to me (I’ve been eyeing the Traveler dress forever). The thing about the roller skate and that burda pattern that I find appealing is that it looks like it might be feasible to make the chest accommodations without too much effort – like maybe it would be forgiving in that area. But perhaps that’s because I’m seeing it on children, who don’t have anything there in the first place!

[wendy]

I agree about making the Burda dress in a very fluid fabric if you try it. I tried it in a quilting cotton way back when and it looked terrible, way too crisp. I also cannot pull off the potato sack look, but if you can then I would suggest checking out some of the Japanese patterns books out there. The construction tends to be very simple and the styles are not at all fitted. The Stylish Dress Book and Simple Modern Sewing come to mind (and they’re both translated). I really, really, wish I could pull off the linen potato sack look! So comfy!

[with love Heidi]

I seem to remember somone enlarging the ice cream dress to fit an adult, but I don’t think they needed to go up much. You probably need to look at the measuments on the size chart to see how much you need to enlarge it by. If its more than 3 sizes you might want to think about another option. I found a really good FBA (full bust adjustmant) tutorial on the web and have used it a couple of time, it’s not that hard once you get your head around it 🙂

[sidewalkgoddess]

Rachelgold, have you looked at Colette patterns? They are sized around a c cups. They are for curvier women in general (which is how I found them) but I think that adjusting hips look much less scary then adjusting busts…

I have not sewn from them yet, but I have their book and their newest pattern (I am actually tracing the new shift dress right now!) I cannot tell you for sure as I haven’t sewn it yet, but I read the whole book and the pattern through and it looks to me to have the same amount of detail (hand holding?) As our beloved Oliver+S.

I just wanted to note that I love some of the Lisette line, but Simplicity did me wrong in middle school, so I am frightened! Soon though, I promise <3

(Also, I didn’t link because I wasn’t sure if I was allowed, but I will provide links if that is okay)

[rachelgold]

Ha! I am totally one of the people who was scouring those adult-upsized icecream dress posts. I got so far as to try adjusting the largest size to add length and scoop the neck out a bit more, and then at some point when I started to make the muslin I think I realized it was just going to be way to wide. Or something. Maybe I just lost motivation =) As I often do.

I did make the free bloomers pattern from coletterie.com and I love them – I have made three pairs. I didn’t need much adjustment, it didn’t take much fabric, and was such a quick sew. And they turned out so CUTE. So thank you for the suggestion – I will look at some of their commercial stuff.

As far as something roller skate/burda anda styled, I figured I’d go with voile. I guess that burda pattern would need some adjustments in the arms to give it a bit more shape and I’d probably draft facings instead of bias-finishing it.

I guess I just need to learn to make the FBA adjustments – my strategy so far has been to just search and search for a pattern I like that has leeway in that area.

[meleliza]

Well, there are patterns that offer leeway in that area. Looser fitting things, gathered necklines, or stretchy things. If you can pull off the potato sack look, no need to ever learn fitting if you don’t want to. After all, you’ve got to do what you enjoy.

The Colette Book is wonderful. It’s very well written and includes clear and thorough sewing information. It deals with basic fitting issues in a way that I think is accessible for a beginner and is easier to understand than Fit For Real People. There’s discussion of fabrics and sewing plans too. I really think it’s an excellent book for advanced beginner to intermediate.

As for the patterns, I’m working on my 3rd right now. While the style is cute, I have found it very difficult to make the fit work on these. I don’t know why, but the darts just don’t want to lay nicely, no matter what tricks I employ. I do not yet have a really wearable Collete. Maybe this Crepe will be good enough, and they wrap style is a little forgiving in the fit, but it is certainly far from perfect. I really don’t know what it is about these patterns that makes them so hard to work with, but the styles are cute enough that I’m willing to try one or two more.

[wendy]

I’ve also had a really hard time with fitting the Colette patterns, but really love the designs and instructions. I plan to tackle them until I get something wearable one day. I tend to have to move the darts, also pinch out excess in the back that bubbles out horizontally. I don’t really understand it either. I thought that they work well for me because I am curvier and have a broader build but I’ve never had make so many adjustments to a pattern. Their website is a fantastic resource,though, and I’ve seen so many dresses on their Flickr page that fit beautifully.

Rachel, the Lisette Diplomat might be one to look at. The bust shaping is built into the seams and is easy to work with, I think. I’ve also come across some Simplicity patterns that have variations for each cup size. That might be something to look for?

[sidewalkgoddess]

Oh! Now you have me worried about the fit! I am making the shift dress for Easter, and then I was going to sew through the book in the summer… I will be sure to pay extra attention when fitting. (I am a pear/hourglass hybrid. C cup, big rear. Hellloooooo sway back adjustment lol I was hoping that these patterns would require a bit less fiddling with my curves then a simplicity pattern would, which seems to run a bit lean?)

Thank you for the feed back!

[meleliza]

Yes, I thought that about Colette too, but I just wadded up my Crepe completely and tossed it. I’m not sure this is the right place to go into details, though. I think the Simplicity patterns vary a little, but because they’ve been around for so long and there is consistency to their sizing, it’s much easier to get a good fit. I was really excited when Liesl announced the Simplicity partnership. I’m sure it’s probably difficult to be innovative within such a large coorporation, but I felt there would be some reliability in the patterns. Independant designers can draft however they like, so it’s really hard to know whether they will work or not.

I mentioned in the other thread, I finished my Attache muslin today and it’s a lovely fit with very minial, easy adjustments. I’m sure I’ll make several of these.

[with love Heidi]

I would love to see what you come up with as your figure sounds similar to mine, largish bust, large hips and tiny waist (in comparison). And If I don’t accentuate the waist I look twice as big (heavy) as I am! One of the old ladies at church has offered to help me with fitting patterns, I must take her up on this as she has been sewing for something like 75 years!