The Kool-Aid Dress (Oh Yeah!)

My guy friend thinks I have a big head.  This isn't a commentary on arrogance or ego, but of literal cranial size.  I showed him a picture of me from two years and fifteen pounds ago and since then, he's been relentless with the jokes.  That's okay, though.  Do I tease him about the dust storms created by his ashy knees?  Yes. Yes I do.  Hah! 

Anyway, "Ash Gordon" has officially nicknamed me Kool-Aid based on his perceived notion about the size of my head.  Because I can take a joke, I decided to play it up and make a red version of Vogue 1250.

Fabric & Notions:

• 2 yards of red ponte knit

This version doesn't fit the same as the first and I think it has to do with the fabric.  Version 1 was made of a rayon-poly-lycra that had more rayon than polyester.  This version is a 58-40-2 polyester-rayon-spandex blend.  The stretch doesn't appear as great and the fabric seems stiffer.  Version 1 definitely doesn't have all of the front wrinkles. 

Alterations:
I removed an inch across the back to raise the waist seam and eliminate some of the pooling at the center back.

I must have added some length to the hem in version 1 because this version is an inch shorter than the first and it's not even hemmed!  I don't think I'm going to hem it either because there's just not enough allowance and I don't want the dress to be too short.

Construction:
I sewed this on my sewing machine and serger.  Again, the serger did not like sewing with ponte.  Even though my serger gives me fits from time to time, I am thinking that ponte just isn't made for this machine.  Does anyone else have problems serging ponte or other types of double knits?

Conclusion:
This pattern is quick to make and is a great choice if you need a cute dress in a flash.  It only has two pattern pieces (three if you count the neck facing, which is totally unnecessary).  It doesn't require a lot of fabric and can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. 

The dressapalooza is still in full effect.  Currently, I am working on Simplicity 2473, Vogue 1220, and Butterick 5490 in some way or another.  Right now, my equipment is set up for the Vogue dress and I should have that completed soon.  More later!

L