Marcy Tilton's Vogue 8813 sewing pattern is her take on a vintage French house dress but I'd say it owes more to the Japanese avant-garde designs of Issey Miyake and this is why I love it.
The sheared neckline and neat collar gives this voluminous garment structured points of interest and perfectly pulls Tilton's design together. My chosen fabric is a medium weight linen/viscose mix with a 1950s inspired block pattern in shades of grey and gold. The fabric has a heavy drape which accentuates the huge pockets in this dress, but it also has a soft and crumply woven texture which gives the frock fluidity and makes it extremely comfortable to wear.
This is an easy-to-follow sewing pattern and a relatively quick sew. I followed the instructions to the letter with the exception of shirring the centre front panel before attaching it to the side fronts. For invaluable advice on shirring technique see Tilton's own instructive Youtube video.
The finished dress is both elegant and easy to wear. I have fabric ready to make a second!
