FROCKTOBER - frocks we love: The Box Dress, View D, Stylish Dress Book 2

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We're celebrating FROCKTOBER at The Drapery, 
to kick-start your spring and summer sewing!
When you buy any dress pattern plus the fabric to make it, we'll take 10% off the price 
(in store or online using code 'FROCKTOBER' at checkout). 
Plus, we've teamed up with the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, 
and for every pattern + fabric combo sold we'll donate $2 to this great cause.

Today's Frock We Love is a pattern that seems too simple to be true. It's one we've found ourselves reaching for again and again when summer is so hot you just barely want anything touching your skin (but don't want to run around naked in public).

The pattern book is the second Stylish Dress Book by Yoshiko Tsukiori, which has been translated into English. View D is the dress that features on the cover, and it lends itself to many different fabrics and improvised variations. With just three or four pattern pieces (front, back, sleeve and neck facing or, as we have used, self-bias binding), this dress whips up in no time. There are no bust darts but plenty of room in the chest area thanks to the dropped-shoulder armscye.

Here are some versions we have made:
 We have similar large checks in Japanese cotton here and here.
Cutting error turned into design feature with front seam :)
This is a brown linen from last summer which is similar to the Merchant & Mills Oxblood washed linen in store now.
This natural linen with brown check is still available, and it's even on sale.  This version ended up a bit big so a front gathering strip (inspired by a customer's RTW dress detail) and sleeve tabs were added.
 Sleeveless - excellent for layering in all seasons. Fabric is Brumby by Australian designers Cloth.

A couple of tips for sewing up this pattern:
- The front neckline as drafted is quite high, so we have always cut it down a little lower. This is very easy to do after you've sewn the sides together and tried it on, so cut it as per the pattern and then you can adjust as you like and bind with a strip of bias.
- The sizing is quite generous but if you'd like a bit more room, this pattern is so simple that you can try placing the centre of your pattern piece (where it says to cut on fold of fabric) a few centimetres away from the fold to add a bit of width. You may wish to narrow down the neckline a little if you do this, so it doesn't end up too wide.
- Why not experiment with pockets? There's a pattern piece provided (as per the brown linen dress above), but you can use any size or placement that takes your fancy.
 
FROCKTOBER discount applies to Japanese pattern books when you also purchase enough fabric for one of the frocks.
 
- Jane & Fiona xx


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