Mandarin Red is Orange!

Mandarin Red is Orange!

Soylent Green is people!

Okay, yeah, that's all I've got there.

I ordered this fabric labeled "Mandarin Red" expecting red, with a bit of orange.

What arrived was orange, with a bit of red.

This may be why people order swatches instead of going all willy-nilly with yardage.

I THINK I'm brave enough for this fabric. 

 I THINK I'm brave, I THINK I'm brave, I THINK I'm brave...

Aside from color shock, this fabric is amazing.  It's soft, and drapey, and soft, and light-weight, and soft.  I hope you get there that it's soft. Really soft.

Which comes to why I'm so on the fence about this dress.

The fabric is great, the color is well, bold, but the fit just isn't there yet.

Pattern: Sewaholic Davie Dress, the short view

Fabric: "Mandarin Red" rayon ponte from Mood

Notions: single fold bias tape for neckline and sleeves, 

knit interfacing for shoulder seams

I've had this finished for a couple of weeks, and today is the second time I've worn it, and I'm still on the fence.  First off, the fabric seems to grow with wear, as though the weight of it stretches it out.  I *think* that's what's going on with the bodice--it seems too long through the upper chest and back, then ends up hanging on my waist and hips where the seam shaping comes in.

I actually did mess around with those seams.  I cut a size 10 as usual, and constructed the front and back and neckline before basting the side seams, which ended up coming in an extra 3/4" on each side.  I also created a dart in the center back seam to bring in excess at the small of my back.  The center back seam, as drafted, is pretty straight.

I didn't raise the shoulder seams, even though it was suggested in the directions, because the neck would've ended up too small.  I may yet pick things out and redo that, though, because I'm just not sold. I mean, it's comfortable...I just don't know that it's really flattering.

Loose up top, and snug down low?  Um, that's a middle school nightmare.

See?  Even on the dress form it seems to hang funny from the bodice.
The skirt looks weird here, too, but that's because my dress form may have a dislocated hip.
(She has shoulder problems, too; it happens to all of us with age.)

The back does look a lot better here, but she has less butt than I do.

And I still see extra length through the shoulders.

All in all, I really think the pattern is good, although I honestly would've expected more shaping from the center back seam.  I think my fabric worked against me here.  And I might've been better off cutting a smaller size (like pretty much every pattern reviewer says). And waiting to finish the neck until after the shoulders were good.

So, I have a little more tinkering to do.

Because if I'm going to wear a bright orange dress, it's got to be a great orange dress.