Vogue Vena Cava 1258

When Vogue released V1258 I couldn't decide whether I liked it or not.  Then I saw EricaB's snakeskin  version and was smitten (or bitten?).  Erica also showed a similar dress from the Vena Cava RTW Collection and I liked it too.  You can see a version of this dress in her Fall '11 collection and in her Fall '10 collection.   I read all the reviews for this pattern and finally decided that the pattern was not the same as the dress in the RTW collection.  Each of the reviewers found that the shoulder was more like a cap sleeve and most found the skirt to be much drapier, which they attributed to fabric choice, but I suspect has more to do with the pattern.  I decided that I liked the RTW version better and so set out to modify the pattern.

The pattern pieces have an unusual shape, so I started by tissue-fitting the bodice pieces to my body double.  I then sat the shoulder bands where I wanted them to sit on the bodice.

 This close-up photo shows how much I moved the match point.

 The modified pattern piece....

With the shoulder band positioned over the top...

Then I sewed up a muslin.  This first photo shows the interesting design lines of the skirt.

The back view...not entirely flattering for lumpy thighs, but I was hoping that the print of my fabric would provide an adequate distraction.  It is hard to see in this photo, but I shortened the bodice by 4 cm. under the armpits, so as not to interfere with the front extension that attaches to the back.

For the front bodice, I took out 4 cm above the armholes.  Shortening by close to 4 cm is not unusual for me.  By shortening above the armhole, the neckline became less plunging and the underarms were raised, which I preferred.  Now take a look at the skirt portion of this muslin.  This is where I am beginning to doubt that the photo on the Vogue cover is made from the pattern inside its envelope.  I have folded the hem above the knee and I am not long-legged, but those drapes are large enough to stow a small child away inside.

My next step was to reduce the volume of the drapes.  The following photo shows where I taped out excess volume.

 The pattern piece laid out over the original skirt, before re-cutting.

 The resulting dress.

 I wanted to reduce the volume further.  I also thought that I should remove some length around the waist seam.  I started off with a Sz 14 bodice and Sz 16 skirt.  After the muslin, the pattern bodice was more like a Sz 10.  I re-tissue fit, to work out how much the remove from the waist seam.  It ended up between the Sz 12 - 14 lines and I still used a Sz 16 for the width of the skirt.  I marked some new match points for the waist seam and the tie.  I extended the shoulder band at the front and marked a new match point.

I taped out some more volume from the skirt (no photo).

I should have made another muslin with all my changes, but didn't have any suitable fabric on hand.  I decided to go ahead ...printed knit dresses don't last that long, so I could wear this for a while and then make another later if I wanted to change the pattern more.

The pattern shows the tie tied at the front, but as Allison found, the tie is too long for the front (well, of course, if you shorten the dress to above the knee, but maybe also at the below knee length).  I preferred it tied at the back as it defines the waist better.  I interfaced the shoulder bands, so that it would be easier to topstitch them..

I should have got somebody to mark a hem for me...but there was nobody here to help at the time...so the back is not even.  Jessica had referred to the problem with the hem in her review, so I was looking out for t, but still didn't get it right.

The fabric is a rayon print from EmmaOneSock.  I bought it before Christmas, but this week I did notice a t-shirt made from the same fabric at Anthropologie.